Dain Sees the Light
by RaineYlevol
Summary: Remember that ol Dain? Well, he's back and something seems to be different about him. Read what happenes when our violet haired friend sees Jasmine through the eyes of a human!
1. Chapter 1: Dain

My eyes popped open. Around me, I saw a few lanterns hanging in a nearby tree. I felt moist grass beneath me. I was alive. _I was alive? _Standing up, I examined myself. My skin was much too dark for an ol, and I actually felt…pain. Blood dribbled down my arm as I saw that I had been lying on a bed of thorns, and I flinched away. I can't bleed! This is just berry juice or something…right? No! This CANNOT BE! A deep gash was cut into my SKIN, and I felt PAIN? Who am I? What am I? Not the Shadow Lord's favourite ol evidently. But…

I staggered over to a crystal clear pond and stared at my reflection. I was Dain. Right? My reflection looked shaken, not flawlessly pale, and my violet hair didn't perfectly frame my handsome face. I was human….truly human. But how? When? Whaaaat….?

I took off in fear across the castle grounds. I was in Del, more specifically, I was on the palace grounds. All I can remember is Leif. Leif destroying me, me melting, how weak and sorry Leif looked as he ended my life. I squeezed my eyes shut remembering the horrific defeat and stared up at the castle walls. Glathon and some other gnomes patrolled a terrace jutting out from the castle, and I just stood off to the side; deciding what to do next. In truth, I felt as if my master has betrayed me. He just let me die, his favourite! I thought I meant more to him…but seeing as I am no longer an ol…he would surely kill me or send another ol after me for sure.

I struggled to think with all of the pain of my wounded chest throbbing angrily. Leif must have succeeded. Otherwise the night would be covered in shadows and fire, and he was quite brave. And strong. And well…he'd make a great king of Deltora. But what of Barda? And…Jasmine

Jasmine.

_Jasmine…_


	2. Chapter 2: Jasmine of Del

**I haven't yet read deltora quest, just watch the anime so I think maybe some of the characters might look different, so I'm sorry!**

I scaled the stone wall of the palace so I could see what was going on inside. I wonder how Jasmine is. She and Leif are probably together now…I mean…that whole charade of me liking her probably showed her true love. But I have to admit, she had drawn me in. The way she prances about, so strong willed and free spirited…Okay Dain, shut up! You're confusing yourself with all the faces you've worn before. She was just a piece of the game you played to get the belt. Nothing more-

HO. LY. CRAP.

After I snuck in through the window, I found myself in the bedroom of a beautiful green haired young woman, with her emerald eyes closed in fatigue, and wavy hair billowing across her pillow. I was transfixed. It was like everything else in the world disappeared as I laid my violet eyes on her.

Jasmine. _Jasmine…_

"Jasmine? Are you awake?"

I bolted for the armoire and slipped inside as Leif cautiously entered. A growl escaped my lips. The man- BOY- who killed me stands right next to Jasmine's bed. So unaware I could leap right out and attack him, sink my teeth into his neck-

Wait. I can't. I'm no longer an ol. I'm just a boy who came from nowhere. No house, no parents, no life…where do I turn to? I began to shake from fear and then ground my teeth to stop, I CANNOT BE HUMAN! I CANNOT BECOME HUMAN!

"Oh, hi Leif." Jasmine mused in her silky, high voice. I bet if I was an ol still, I'd have melted into a puddle of white glistening goo. "What is it?"

Leif glanced around the room, and I backed farther into the armoire.

"I thought I heard someone moving around…you're okay?"

"Yeah, of course. I…uh…thank you for checking on me though."

Leif's face filled with understanding of some sort, "The dreams?"

Jasmine's emerald eyes filled with tears, something I though impossible, "I-I just see his face every night…and I just…" she trailed off and lifted herself out of bed.

She began moving my way, and I cringed back in fear she'd see me when she opened the door, reached to my left without even looking inside, and pulled out something off of a shelf. A sigh escaped my lips and I peeked through the crack again…she had been so close…

In her hand was the pendant I'd given her what seemed so long ago. It was a pretty red stone on a delicate gold chain, something I'd gotten from Steven's wagon. She eyes it tearfully and handed it to him.

"Dain." Leif said in a gruff whisper. He threw it down to the ground and grasped her shoulders, "I know, I know. But he wasn't who we thought he was…and well…Dain is gone now. Don't worry."

Then he did something I never expected, he kissed her mouth gently and held her in his arms. I felt anger surge through me like a live wire. She broke away without meeting his eyes. Leif's smile faltered, and he left.

"I'm not afraid of him," she muttered grumpily to herself as she picked up the necklace. I held my breath, wishing to finally confront her.

"I…I miss him."


	3. Chapter 3: Confrontation

Taking a deep breath, I pushed aside the armoire's door, and stepped onto the expensive rug covering her room's floor. She gasped and dropped the pendant at sight of me, and I held up my hands in surrender.

"Jasmine…its okay…it's me…Dain." I cautioned carefully as she began to shake and a series of emotions played across her face. First it paled with shock, and then it turned red as if she were blushing, and finally settled on a flushed purple as she snarled and picked her dagger up from her nightstand.

I felt my head go a little woozy, and I saw that I had been still bleeding steadily, in the armoire and even out here. I fought to keep consciousness as she spar angrily,

"You!"

I smiled grimly and began, "Jasmine, I-"

"_Hyah!" _

She kicked me hard in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me and I toppled to the ground stunned. A pool of blood formed under me from the wound where Leif had stabbed me during our battle. Jasmine gasped and slit my cheek with her dagger screeching, "I thought _ols _couldn't bleed!"

I choked and managed to speak, "I…Jasmine I'm not an ol-"

"Oh stop trying to play mind games with me _Dain_. I'm a lot stronger than I was back then!"

I met her eyes and felt the pain slightly fade just seeing her. Oh here I go again, giving into my new stupid human feelings. Her face softened in bewilderment, and then wrinkled in anger, "Why are you here? I thought Leif finished you off," muttered Jasmine as I chuckled darkly.

"I thought so too. I just…I wanted to see what had become of you two." I said before groaning and feeling a blinding flash of pain ripple across me. I wonder if I'm dying. I've only died once before…but wow…humans just don't wanna go do they?

"Not bring our precious belt to your master, hmm? Sorry, I don't believe you." She snapped wondering if she should call Leif or if she should get Barda to take me away. If I was going to die, it couldn't be like this. As she paced back and forth twirling her dagger, I spotted the pendant I'd given to her on the floor.

Snatching it up, I slowly pulled myself to my feet, and staggered over to her. She panicked, but I gripped her arm and opened her palm. Forcing a grin to carve onto my lips, I dropped the pendant into her hand and said even though the ol still in me shouted not to, "I'm sorry."

Jasmine's face twisted and she threw her eyes to the floor as tears dribbled out of them, "J-just stop i-it-"

"NO. I know I betrayed you before, but please everything's different now- I'm different and I don't know where to go, or who to go to, and when I saw you…" I was rambling like some emotional human. It made me feel shaky and close to tears. Genuine fear was gripping me tightly, and I realized that that mask I hid under has become who I am.

Ol Dain has been destroyed forever; all that is left is the masquerade I worked up to so hard. I used to laugh at how sweet and stupid and weak I'd act, but without my pride, I am a weakling. I'm not charming or sweet though, I'm nothing. And I'm nothing to Jasmine. Leif is everything to her, and now I'm giving up. I'll just refuse to tend to my human needs and shrivel away so I won't embarrass myself or hurt her anymore. Why do I care? I liked not caring. Why do I feel? I liked turning off guilt and just doing my duty to my master. I want to turn it off, but now I see what is in front of me and what I see is Jasmine. I see her pain that I've caused, and I see how much she loves another, and I see her hatred for me. She can't see any of this though, because I'm who she wants to remember now, and she won't let herself all because of me. All of this is my stupid fault…

"I can't," she began to say in nothing but a tremulous whisper; "I just can't trust you anymore. This is one of my dreams, my imagination. There was no Dain, just an ol. Just a traitor." It sounded more like Leif was speaking through her mumbles, but Leif was a softy. Or at least what I used to call a softy compared to my vain, impenetrable self. I wonder what he'd say at seeing me…

I tilted her chin up and as she just stared at me with tortured emeralds for eyes, I murmured desperately, "Please, Jasmine, I swear that I will never -"

But I was silenced as a heavy blow was inflicted on the back of my head. Her face disappeared and everything went to black.


	4. Chapter 4: Proving His Trust

When I woke up, the first thing I felt was relief. My wounds weren't healed, but cushioned with fluffy, crimson spattered white bandages. Even though my head throbbed from that surprise whack to the head, I felt joy that it hadn't killed me. I'm not dead! I'M NOT DEAD!

What a wimpy celebration Shallow-Human-Dain.

"Dain?"

I blinked open my dark violet eyes and saw King Leif pacing outside my dungeon cell. It was peculiar to see someone so regally dressed in such a dingy, threatening place.

"Leif. Or would you prefer I call you '_Majesty' _or something of the sort?" I asked sharply as Leif grit his teeth. I continued, "Why knock me out cold if you were just going to patch me up?"

"Jasmine said to," he sounded like he didn't agree with her decision at all, "Why are you here? How are you here?"

I finally averted my eyes from the fierce anguish in his own and focused on the shady looking servant sweeping in a nearby corner. What was I supposed to say to him? I don't know how or why this all came about. Obviously, God didn't resurrect me for being a wonderful person, I guess Leif just destroyed the ol in me. Ol in me? I AM- was - an ol, not some human with ol-like qualities, or ol with human qualities? Impossible. I was created to serve a purpose for my Master, nothing more, nothing less. But then...

"Answer me, Dain." Leif growled and I snapped out from my thoughts. I really have no desire to speak with the king. I want to talk with Jasmine, alone. Last night she'd started being less angry as I spoke to her, maybe less afraid...did it all go away once Leif came in, or do I still have a chance?

"I'm sorry, Leif but I don't know."

There's no use being cocky anymore, maybe if I'm nice enough he'll let me out some time soon. Or at least consider NOT impaling or hanging or doing whatever he had in store for the boy who betrayed him and extinguished the burning hope of the once divided Deltora nation. I just need to prove that I'm not interested in fooling him or trying to get the belt from him anymore, I just need somewhere to stay, and even though I won't mention this...I need to see Jasmine again.

"I...I just don't know what to do with you. I can't trust you again, Dain. I'm sorry I just," Leif muttered furious with himself as I just sat up and fixed my eyes on that sweeping servant again. Something about was very...unsettling. As Leif fumed over what to do, the servant quietly set the broom against the wall and stuck his grimy hand into his pants pocket. Seeing a flash of silver, I gasped and shouted, "Leif! Look out!"

The servant scowled swiveling around on his heel, and charged toward a stupefied Leif waving a dagger and yelling. Leif ducked and I grabbed his sword from his belt, and blocked the servant.

"Who are you?" Leif boomed at him as he retreated from my fierce block. Leif snatched his sword back from my reluctant hand. Suddenly, the panting impostor's face twisted into an eerie grin, and he croaked, "_Your worst nightmare, Highness_!"

His whole body started shaking and twisting in terrible ways, blowing up bigger, and bigger, paling whiter and whiter as suddenly, before us was a waaaaay out of shape ol. The broom resting against the wall crackled and morphed in a matter of seconds, and there stood the servant ol's partner. I should've known! Ols almost always come in pairs, and I swore...I've been a dagger before, so why didn't I see that a broom is possible?"

Leif ran forward valiantly swinging his sword and started slashing away at the monsters, crying out and aiming for the Shadow Lord's hand-print mark over their hearts.

"Leif!" I called rattling the bars and trying to get out, "I can help you fight if you let me out!"

The foolish king barely glanced at me and answered stubbornly, "I'm not fighting against these ols WITH an ol! Do you think I'm stupid, Dain?"

I rolled my eyes and tried pushing harder on the door screaming desperately, "JUST GET OVER YOURSELF, WILL YOU? WHAT USE WILL A DEAD KING BE FOR DELTORA?" This made Leif freeze and get a nasty cut on his forearm. Good. He at least deserves _that_. He plucked the keys smoothly off the ground as the overweight ol (I can tell, trust me I've been down that road before) lunged forward, and tossed them so that they skidded across the grimy stone floor to my cell.

Snatching them up hastily, I groped for the lock with the most rusty old key and watched as Leif was lifted into the air. An ol's hand wound a few times around his middle and squeezed all of the air out of him. Leif's eyes bugged and he wheezed soundlessly. Panicking, I stuck the key quickly in the lock, turned it, pushed open the door, and grabbed his sword.

I could tell these ols were amateurs from the moment they flopped their long poofy arms at me. The first one went down in a matter of seconds as I plunged the sword tip into the center of the shadow lord's mark. As he oozed away, I gave the stronger, faster ol a painful jab to the leg. Leif fell from his suffocating hold gasping and with a face so blue it was almost laughable. I kicked him grouchily out of my way and cut away one of the arms reaching for me.

The ol pressed down on me and I narrowed my eyes as it spoke in a gurgling, familiar voice, "_Dain? No, it can't be you! Well, you are pretty much the laughing stock of all of the Shadow Lands!" _I howled angrily and attempted to hit its mark, but the ol's arm curled around my left leg and lifted me upside down in the air.

"_That's right Mr. 'Master's Favourite Servant'. Ha! Seeing as you isn't dead, let me take care of you to spare you from any more humiliation!"_ boomed the ol in it's thick, awful voice. AS it shook from laughter and gripped my leg tighter, I shook from anger, and gripped Leif's sword tighter. As Glathon some more gnomes, and Jasmine came hurrying down the stairs, they were just in time to see me stab the ol in the heart, and help Leif up.

" What happened down here?" Jasmine asked in exasperation seeing the ol disintegrate and Leif shake my- wait? Shake my hand...

"Dain -gasp- he -gasp- saved me."

I grinned.


	5. Chapter 5: Jasmine POV

*jasmine pov*

I swung from branch to branch, my limber form curling around fluidly. I miss the Forest of Silence. Leif's trying so hard to make this feel like home, he even made me this spectacular grove right outside the castle contained by glass. It even has rivers and different berry bushes and an occasional rodent, but nothing like home.

Everything's been feeling less like home ever since Dain came back too.

He's been here about two weeks now, sitting at Leif's right hand at dinner and attending war meetings and fight practice with Leif. He even has a room in the tower next to mine so it's as if I can't escape him. Sure, he's been acting perfectly wonderful. His small, sweet smile and soft violet eyes are always flicking onto me. But I'm jaded and Leif's a fool if he's going to fall for this again. One night in bed, Leif even told me that he fell for Dain's trick nearly twice when they were battling over the belt when Dain betrayed us. Oh Leif, why can't you see it? It's all fake, all an act. Maybe it's another ol from the Shadow Lord taking on Dain's old human form, ols just can't come back. Not even Level 3 ols. I teetered on the branch, hand gripping the slender trunk as I stared through the glass at the sunset. At least I could be alone in here. I don't want to think about Dain.

Leif can't understand what Dain did to me. He's doesn't know everything about me. I don't let people in easily, as you can tell there's no way I'm very happy or on speaking terms with Leif right now. I don't let people in easily, and yet I had let Dain in and let him buy me that stupid pendant and make me blush and daydream about things aside from succeeding in the quest. I let Dain make me feel beautiful and like a girl, not just some squawking, stubborn, tomboy that hid everything. I'm good at hiding how I feel, but for him I didn't as much. When he laughed while holding the belt during his betrayal, I felt my world crashing down and all I could do was yell at him. Not cry, not even fight him. Just grit my teeth and feel an ocean of pain drown me as I thought about how his face had twisted from the innocent white pallor of human Dain. But human Dain never existed and he doesn't now. This has to be a trap and there's no way-

"Jasmine? Wow. You're high up there."

My foot slipped and I clutched a vine instinctively. I swung wildly, pressing against the vine as it snapped and fell. I leapt hurriedly from branch to branch and then tumbled to the ground, ready to hit Dain as hard as I could.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?" I shouted, charging up to the dumbstruck boy and seeing his eyebrows raise, "UGH, JUST-don't answer that. Go away." I plucked my dagger off the ground; tears had welled up in my eyes out of fear from the shock of falling and I couldn't stop shaking. Stomping out of the man made forest, I brushed the tears away and focused on locking myself in my room. I hate this castle, I hate Dain, I'm beginning to hate how much of an idiot Leif is, and I hate that I can't even escape any of them. I stopped, hearing Dain trudging behind me. My green eyes lashed onto the forest in the distance and I tightened my grip on my dagger. I can't just leave though, could I? Dain will probably tell his bestie Leif about making me fall and Leif will come into my room and sweet talk me and kiss me and end up staying the night or something. I care about Leif. I hate having to be so mad at him, but he won't listen and no one will listen. Sometimes during the quest, Dain and I would go off alone and talk about stuff. We bonded over missing our parents, even though his fake Tora heritage and everything was all a lie. That kind of talking opened me up to him. He knows what I'm weak for, and I just know what Fake-Dain told me.

I shuffled silently into the castle and up the many winding stairways. Barda and my father passed me, waving and then eyeing me nervously as I glared forward. I fell into bed, snuggling deep into the much too soft mattress of feathers. I swirled the blankets into a nest like shape, pillows lining it all around and I curled up into a fetal position. I felt like a baby bird laying in the dark.

Someone knocked on the door and I stifled a growl. I knew Leif would come, didn't I? Nope, not letting him in. the best I can do is sleep and dream to get away from all of this crap. He knocked again and I padded over to lock the door. As I twisted the golden lock, something slid under the door. Bending down, I picked up a white rose. Smiling slightly I sighed and drummed my fingers on the wall. Maybe instead of wallowing and sleeping Leif could cheer me up. Maybe. Agh, I'm not happy with him but maybe I could try and talk to him about Dain. Maybe he'll listen. After all...he does love me. And I think I might love him too. I peeked under the door and in the dark hallway I could see a pair of feet outside shifting nervously.

I practiced my writing and passed a note under the door:

_I wil meat yu in the cassel gardin once everywuns sleeping_

Eh. I knew I must've done a letter or two backwards, but I've achieved a lot in my literary skills in the small amount of time! He passed the note back:

:)


	6. Chapter 6: falling

SORRY FOR THE WAIT! I forgot where I was going with this story and now school is over so I'm not stressed about AP or finals and crap, so here it is :D! (ps. Dain+jasmine forever)

* * *

><p><span>Dain pov<span>

I bent over the birdbath, checking my reflection again and smoothing my shoulder length dark purple hair. Violet eyes twinkled back staring, my pale skin illuminated by the moonlight. Stepping back from it, I fingered the white roses anxiously. She's not going to come. Why would she? NOt after how I nearly killed her today. But I need to talk to her...see her...try and make something out of my new life. So Leif isn't as much as a wimp as I thought as an ol before, but the only reason I'm really trying to have him trust me again is so that Jasmine doesn't recoil away from me as if I'm some venomous cloud.

I sat back down at the crystal table, laying down the flowers and watching the bowl of berries I had set in the middle of it. Jasmine hated palace food, so I sent out a guard to go into the Forests of Silence and find something that would remind her of home. Idiot Leif just tells her she'll get used to the lavish lifestyle and queen bee nectar. Pssh. Even though I know him better now, I'm still confused how Jasmine was ever attracted to him.

The glass doors creaked open, and a figure stepped out. Jasmine's face came out of the darkness, her wild green hair in a thick braid and body in a short, loose fitting crimson dress. She didn't see me right away, just glanced around with a small, tired smile on her lips. "Leif? Leif you out here?" My heart sank. Of course she thought it was Leif. Before she started looking my way, I stood up, feeling defeated but forcing an encouraging smile.

Jasmine blinked back and then face going red, she instantly turned back and started pushing open the door. I scrambled away from the table, "Jasmine, wait! Come back!"

"I_ don't want to talk to you_, Dain. Can't you just leave me alone?"

"Can't you just trust me already?" I exploded, throwing down the flowers, "what more can I do?" Jasmine rubbed her temples and closed her eyes, pacing back and forth as if the sight of me was wearing her out.

"Nothing! I don't want you to do anything!" Jasmine yelled almost tearfully. She stormed up to me this time, hand twitching on her dagger, "You know what? yeah i miss the forests, but you have only made this feel less like home. you ripped the only chance for peace in Deltora away from us last year. you betrayed us!"

A tear skidded from her emerald green eyes across her tanned cheeks as i trembled, speechless, "you betrayed me- on a personal level too."

"I...I...don't know what to say. There's nothing then, right? Nothing I can do to make you forgive me."

She shook her head and whispered, "Everything we talked about. Connected with was a lie. A fabricated story by the Shadow Lord. A story to lure me in and break me." She raised her arms and turned, slipping halfway back inside. I stared, so shocked at how the night turned sour that I felt weak. Her eyes shone in the dark, "If you really want me to not hate you so much...leave me alone. Leave Leif alone. That's what i want. To forget you. That way when you try and stab us in the back again, my back and the king's won't be the one getting hit. just the fools."

And then she was gone. I could hear her kicking off her heels and padding barefoot back down the hall. Disappear? I could do that. She's not easy. That's why I like her so much. I'm not suave ol. I'm nothing to her but the thing that destroyed all hope and found all of her vulnerabilities. Of course that had been my job...but still...I guess I have nothing here. No one to own me or help me become good, I don't care about Leif really or the Tora border or tracing the ak-baba or dragon search...i don't care! Being human is the worst thing that could have happened to me. I'm done.

I kicked over the birdbath and strode to the edge of the garden balcony. Breathing heavily I closed my eyes, then dropping the white rose, I fell from the castle.


	7. Chapter 7: Different

-dain pov-

I was weightless

My heartbeat was the only sound I could hear over the screaming wind as I fell, like a wounded raven about to slam into the midnight earth. I closed my eyes against the air, praying for the pain not to be too bad when suddenly, something whizzed towards me. The arrow pierced my cloak's hood, and sent me falling in another direction. Roughly, I hit into a tree, the arrow pinning me to it. I swung in a daze 50 ft from the ground, glancing around at who could have fired it. A short figure leapt down from one of the elevated castle courtyards, bow in hand. Striding up to me with her hands on her hips, Glathon the dread gnome yelled up to me, "What do you think you're doing Master Dain?"

A tear had formed in my cloak as my weight caused me to slide down from the arrow. As my cloak ripped free and I fell another 30 ft, Glathon sighed and shot two more arrows, this time pinning me to the tree by my boots. I hung upside and shouted back, "Trying to die so leave me alone to do it!" The gnome woman laughed and rose an eyebrow, "You drama queen. Let me guess- Leif doesn't feel the same way about you?"

Boiling anger rose up inside me as I struggled to free myself from the arrows and stupid tree. Lashing around and clunking my head on the trunk, Glathon laughed some more and I spat, "No. You wouldn't understand. You wouldn't understand what its like to be me." She continued staring at me like I was some whiny child as she replied, "What? you mean to be out of your comfort zone? to be thrown into a world you have no roots with and be expected to serve when you can't even find out how to be happy or have people trust you?" she smiled slyly at me, and even though her situation was different, I knew she was right. She must feel so out of place here, not at her mountain, and a gnome among humans who have only heard darkness about the wicked dread gnomes. I guess we are pretty similar.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry. You have it rough too."

"Mmhmm, I guess. But I've adjusted and I'm _not _throwing myself off of the castle."

She lithely scrambled up the tree and cut me down. I slid down the trunk, my white gloves scraping the bark. I collapsed at the tree's base beside her and met her big amber eyes, "I...I just don't know what to do. You're role here is to defend the castle. Mine isn't to be Leif's right hand man." She shrugged, "Then why did you set yourself up as that person?"

Sheepishly, my cheeks got hot and I gazed up at the moon, "The truth? I want Jasmine to trust me again. And maybe even like me." I started ripping at the grass, "I"m not that ol anymore. I do care about her and her feelings and about Deltora. I'm not just the Shadow Lord's secret weapon. I don't want to destroy anyone." Glathon nodded slowly, a sad looking smile on her thin lips, "Jasmine. She's a hard nut to crack, but try telling her this. Don't let her stop you form creating who you want to be now that you aren't just an ol. You have a chance to create yourself, Dain, and you're already doing pretty swell.

She elbowed me in the ribs and i turned to smile at her. In the moonlight Glathon was pretty beautiful, her short cropped hair blowing away from her face in the night wind. "_You_ trust me." I said smoothly, nearly flirting with my eyes. She snorted and whacked me hard on the arm, "Don't try any of that on me, Master Dain. Jasmine will probably try to avoid you, but give her a little space and then make her stay and listen, just listen and do anything you can to show her you aren't an ol or at least not with the Shadow Lord anymore." She stood up and brushed off her leather pants and tunic, reaching out a hand. I took it and got to my feet, towering over her in height.

"No more suicide attempts?" she asked sternly.

"No more...I'll keep trying." I sighed, looking up at Jasmine's bedroom window and entering the palace.


	8. Chapter 8: Expedition

-dain pov-

Space. Give Jasmine _space. _I can do that.

...

Who am I kidding this space is killing me.

It's been about a week since I tried and become a heap of Dain pudding and Glathon gave me her wisdom. I confessed to Leif that while I enjoy him treating me so well, war strategy and all the political stuff really isn't for me. It won't win Jasmine over either so since that seems to be my human goal, there's no point in boring myself and having to hear Lief obsess over the dragon search and whatnot. He even forgot that I wasn't really from Tora at one point which I thought was really funny. It's just like before, when I was just some character and spy and Leif fed off my every word. Leif. He's not an idiot, but Doom sure doesn't trust me still. Maybe that's where Jasmine gets her hardheadedness. Anyway, I've decided that I make some short term goals before I can reach my long term one with Jasmine. Glathon had said to create myself because I literally don't have a role to fill as a human, I'm not even supposed to be alive or have a free will so no wonder I wanted to throw myself off the castle: maybe it wasn't even Jasmine. maybe it was i just don't have a purpose yet and she so far is becoming that purpose which cannot be reached.

In order to create myself, I've been trying to find a hobby. Something that human Dain is good at or will enjoy. Having space from Leif is much easier than space from Jasmine, I just felt grumpy trailing the king and listening to him reenact the ol attack that i saved him from day after day. So, I've just started wandering the castle grounds and every now and then, Del, but people just whisper at me so I've stopped. I've been poring over books in the library, trying to find something interesting to define me here. I definitely am _not_ into the history of the nation. I just find myself mentally scoffing at the times my exMaster took over and i close the book trying not to return to that mindset.

I've tried archery with the Dread Gnomes and I actually sort of maybe kinda like it. It makes me feel more important than some stuffy politician or right-hand-man of the king. Glathon spends a lot of time with me to help me because I think she knows that I might really want this- as in want to defend the castle. Barda taught me how to silently scale castle walls and Nereida is helping me with my balance (she came back to work as a castle entertainer) so that maybe I could find my place among the archers here.

I love the idea of it! Slithering up the exterior, quiver full of arrows and bow slung on my back as I lithely tumble onto a precarious ledge, perched like a panther to strike. I see the enemy coming and without losing balance...I draw back the arrow and...

"Dain? Your opinion?"

I snapped out of my thought process and realized I had been staring down my mug of queen bee nectar. Blinking and looking up, long hair in my eyes and making the ladies in waiting giggle, I registered Leif's beaming face and arched eyebrows. It was dinner time, the entire castle gathered at the long coppery table loaded with decadent dishes.

"Sorry, Leif...I um...can you repeat the question?" I replied, clearing my throat and gulping down some of the golden sweet nectar. I caught out of the corner of eye, Jasmine watching me with a smirk and forced my eyes not to completely focus in on her. Space...she wants space...

"Your opinion? On the Tora expedition?" Leif added, shaking some of his thick whitish blonde hair from his cerulean eyes. Nodding and not really caring or knowing what he was talking about, I lied, "Sounds great. Tora's...cool." I tried to smile and the girls giggled again. Oh shut up.

Leif looked a little bewildered, and laughed softly motioning at me with a gloved hand, "I mean, will you go? I'm needed here at the palace of course but I don't think there's anyone I would trust more to go for me." Before I could respond, I heard Jasmine snort. How much space do I give her until that sort of behavior is over?

I shrugged and said, "You are the king so I'll do as you wish. But truthfully, my mind has been elsewhere this night, so can you refresh me on what exactly I am supposed to do on this expedition?" My voice was snarky, witty, clever, it made the girls giggle again and old soldiers shake their heads chuckling as if I was some sort of entertainment for them. I just smirked and my dark eyes caught Jasmine rolling her eyes. Leif patted me on the shoulder and tried to hold my eyes steady while he gladly refreshed his best friend, "For nearly a century, the palace library has been lacking a single book- and sources have collected that it has been traced to Tora. Or more realistically, it has been hidden in Tora by the people themselves, and the book is vital to Deltora in this day and age."

"What is the book?" I asked, dangerously getting mildly interested.

"It's Adin's journal on the Shadowlands. We're working on how to save the captive slaves still there, and this book will give us the answer on how to get there."

I didn't even have to remember this discussion at one of the boring war meetings about the slavery issue. I had brought some of those slaves over myself...whipped them and laughed while they knelt before my master...helpless. I mocked them and their pain, I remember my master even telling of this book. Feeling sick to my stomach and realizing Leif was still waiting for an answer, I mulled it over. This will surely cut into my palace guard/archer future won't it? And I don't want to do this. But...

I discreetly looked at Jasmine, on Leif's left. She was stirring her unappealing dinner into one big glob while Leif's hand rested on her leg. Jealousy flared inside me as the king touched her and then I decided, "I'll go. It would be an honour." I said mechanically, feeling sick as I made myself bow down before Leif's disgusting elated face. It wasn't an honour. It was another chance to prove to Jasmine I could be trusted now.

"Great! I knew I could count on you," he stood, clapping me on the back and squeezing my shoulders as the rest of the hall nodded approvingly. As I sat down, he added, "But naturally, I don't want to risk you going alone, so..." My jaw dropped as his eyes flicked to Jasmine, absentmindedly prodding her food glob. Leif rubbed her leg and she snapped back to attention, "Huh?" she chirped, eyes alert.

"Will you join Dain on his quest? You've been dying to leave the castle for weeks." Leif mused as she stared at him in shock. Jasmine wiped off her mouth with the back of her hand and rose to her feet, "I'm tired. I'm going to bed." Everyone gaped as she disappeared up the stairs, but Leif's eyes grew sad, face going red. "I'll tend to her." he mumbled embarrassed as he too exited. Not wanting to get a headache form the gossip all of the annoying ladies in waiting would start gurgling with, I slipped out form the dining hall to follow Leif.


	9. Chapter 9: Just Like Dain

*JASMINE POV*

I spun on my heel, flaring at Leif with my hands balled into fists. His face was red, but I didn't care and spat, "Leif? Didn't you even think to ask me before announcing it to the kingdom? Because truthfully, I have no wish to go anywhere with that ol." He wheezed, rubbing the back of his head, "Jasmine...by now we know he's not an ol. He bleeds and tires and-"

"That's not my point. He's still the...the _thing_ that betrayed us."

"He's also redeemed himself! A number of times now!" he nearly shouted and I was taken aback. Why did Leif have to care so much about him? Trust him so easily. We stood there awkwardly, breathing heavily and with flushed cheeks. I nodded toward my bedroom door and we slipped inside. There was no reason to cause a scene in front of everyone. As I pulled the door shut, I felt his hands rest on the tops of my shoulders. Some chills scuttled down my spine as I felt his lips near my ear, softly breathing, "And yet I'm still a bit torn about something."

My ears pricked and my eyes darted onto his. They twinkled ocean blue and I moved toward my bed to sit down. Leif started pacing, looking like he was trying to pick his words carefully, say everythign he wanted to. Ready, he faced me with his hands on his hips, "Well...now that Dain has left the meetings, some of the council members including your father have been confessing their suspicion about him." Blinking, I let out a barely audible, "Oh." That was a surprise. I thought I was one of the only ones not wrapped around little Dain's white finger.

"Well...you see the council is filled with scholars, and Barda and everyone, well," Leif was pacing again, "They've never heard of an ol coming back after it's killed. Especially not as a human. It just isn't possible. Therefore..." Leif motioned towards me to speak and I cleared my throat, mumbling, "He can't be trusted?"

"Exactly!"

I got to my feet, "But _you're _so persistent about him changing, that he's redeemed himself. you just said it a minute ago!" Leif's face almost twisted in pain, "I know...but Doom nearly called me a fool and said to open my eyes. He's playing us Jasmine, it's just another spy or poser or something." His eyes filled with tears and my lips pulled into a frown as I watched him be in pain. Leif shook his head, "I hate how its all still a game, but Dain isn't real. The friend we thought we had never existed. I'm still trying to pretend he did and came back."

Leif's face was a few inches away from mine and my heart grew heavy. I knew what would make him feel better even though I didn't always feel especially inclined to do so. Leif feels differently about me then i do about him, or at least I'm still trying to figure it out. Pushing back a strand of his hair and getting up on tiptoe I brushed my lips against his, feeling his strong arms curl around me as he kissed back. One of his tears started rolling down on my own cheek, hot and one of many as he cried. Poor Leif.

I continued letting him hold me and kiss me and love me silently until we fell back on my bed exhausted and I whispered, "So what are you going to do?" I pulled the sheets up to my nose as his arm snaked around my small shoulders. Leif breathed heavily, recovering from the kissing and closing his eyes with fluttering eyelids, "The expedition is a setup. Adin's journal _is_ somewhere there and we'll use Dain to find it before guards ambush him and put him down." For some reason the image made me sick suddenly. I don't care about him, but something about how betrayed Dain would feel-

Oh how ironic.

"Why drag him out there though? Why not just slip something into his nectar? Why am i coming?" My flurry of questions blurted out maybe too quickly for Leif to process, but he did and pulled me closer. My head fit into the crook of his neck comfortably. I could feel his rough breath graze my head as he whispered, "It would be a scandal if it happened here. It'll be passed off as an accident, the people who have grown close to him here like some of the gnomes will hear of a glorious, valiant battle and how he saved you and died himself. We have to make sure he doesn't reappear after this and mess with our heads anymore." Leif touched my face gently, tracing his fingertips around my tanned cheek, "I've been having the nightmares too. Its always me and him fighting for the belt and then he turns good again and I want to trust him over, and over, and..."

I pecked him quickly on the lips. I didn't want him feeling so sad again. He smiled a little, "You're coming because you wanted to get out. And this is your chance. Also a chance to find his weaknesses, lead him to exactly where we'll get him. He'll never expect you."

_He'll never expect you_

The words bounced back and forth in my head as Leif and I settled to sleep and kissing again. _He'll never expect you. _Suddenly I feel like Dain, Leif my Master setting up one of the most unforgiving betrayals anyone could witness. Leif's hands slid down my arms, mouth working furiously against my own, pressing me down as I let him, my head and heart somewhere else.

I was exactly like Dain. Did Leif know he was repeating what the Shadow Lord did to us?


	10. Chapter 10: Calm

*DAIN POV listen to this during: watch?v=Yna9FIlV03Y*

I stared up at the ceiling of my room, trying to tune out the soft kissing noises coming from Jasmine's. Ugh. When I had asked Leif for a room in this tower, I hadn't meant it to be so I could hear the girl I like snogging another dude next to me. I just wanted to be closer to her in any way I could. The background make out seemed die down, and I strained my ears to try and hear what they were whispering about. Ha, figures I can't snoop in their conversations though. I rolled over on my side, burying my ear into the downy pillow and sighing loudly. It was a little hot in here, stuffy feeling and unpleasant. I've been an insomniac ever since I've started staying here.

I dragged my tired corpse from the bed and stood up in front of the mirror. Ruffling my hair I watched my reflection. I had peeled off my shirt due to the heat and a long red scar traced over my defined abdominal muscles. It was from when Leif had tried to kill me for the belt so long ago it felt. Things were so different now. He trusts me. I strode up to the window and peered out into the cool sapphire sky, breathing calmly before climbing out of it. I scrambled up onto the roof and perched myself on the less steep part of the castle turret. I lay back on the shingles and felt wind lap at my face. I'm not sure when the expedition starts, but it is urgent. I may even leave some time tomorrow.

_With Jasmine, _my mind whispered excitedly as I tried to shake the comment off. She didn't seem to want to go. Of course she didn't, but maybe all that kissing I heard earlier was Leif's way of trying to convince her. Thinking about him kissing her made my stomach turn again and I curled up on the roof, clutching my knees to my chest for a moment.

Why does being human have to hurt so much? Is it this hard for everyone?

*jasmine pov*

His breath was hot on my face, and I tried to turn my cheek away as Leif slept soundly, his arms protectively folded around me. My hand left his bare chest, and holding my breath, I rolled off the mattress lithely and silently. I stuck a pillow where I should be laying and Leif stirred only slightly, hugging the pillow closely to his body. Letting out a sigh of relief, i tip toed over to the window and took in the sweet midnight air. It was so much cooler outside. I was starting to feel suffocated as Leif held me tighter and tighter...

Jasmine just stop. You know he loves you. I leaned my head on one elbow, closing my eyes sadly. Then why don't I feel the same way? I swung my legs over the stone window sill and sat for a while, whistling and watching Kree circle the castle. I wish I could fly like that, take off into the air without anyone holding me down, my wings spreading, not hidden by some corset or thick dress. Not be tied down by a marriage Leif has been hinting at. Filli cooed in his little hammock bed I'd made him by ripping up one of the dresses Leif tried to provide for me. I rested my foot on the ledge, and reached out to take hold of the top of the window before pulling myself out of it. I swung fluidly onto the roof, falling back against the cool shingles.

I just want to escape everything so badly. The castle, Leif, Dain, the drama, the expedition, the wedding I'm not ready for...I used to be so free! The trees seemed to be calling out for me every night in the Forests of Silence, waiting for their Jasmine to come home. Before I could control myself, my lip was trembling, tears overflowing from my eyes as I quietly sobbed, "I don't belong here."

*dain pov*

I stirred slightly in my light sleep, hearing someone else on the roof. I instinctively reached at my hip for my dagger, but remembered I was only in my pajama pants and completely weaponless and vulnerable. I sat up in panic, but squinted at the figure sitting on the edge of the roof. It was a girl by the sound of the voice as she cried, and my heart seemed to melt. It was Jasmine. My heart beat faster than normal, stomach turning over and over as she turned to look at me with glassy, red eyes. For the first time since I came back, Jasmine held my gaze without getting angry or upset looking. She just held my gaze steadily shuddering to try and stop crying. I stared back into her endless green eyes dumbly with my lips slightly parted. She looked me over and then squeaked, "How long have you been up here?"

I dared to come closer, and she didn't budge, "Um...well you weren't up here when I came up. I just felt a little suffocated in there."

She stared back, almost surprised, trying to read me and I didn't know what I even had to be read. She nodded and kept looking at me, and if it was anyone else staring me down, I would be one edge about it and say to buzz off. But this was Jasmine, and every time I was graced to feel her two emerald moons rest on me I was lucky. Simply, I said softly, "Why are you crying?" She sniffled, looking away and watching her blackbird circle the palace over and over, "I'm just tired of all this. I'm not happy here." That was the last thing she said before breaking down into sobs again and I knew it would only get worse if I tried to comfort her. Either way, I tentatively put my lean arm around her shoulders. She stiffened a little, and then went limp. She had fallen asleep. Her head was in my lap and I just stared down at her. This was what i had been desiring for so long. She was alone with me, calm, sleeping, helpless. My heart was pounding now, going so fast it might explode out of my chest.

_Carpe diem! _My mind seemed to scream as a smile tried to make it on my lips. I bent down to kiss her slightly parted lips, but when I was an inch away, i sighed and came back to reality. Then I scooped her up and carried her back to her room, my heart still exploding but this time in longing to kiss her. I set her down beside the man she does love, and left with my throat constricting in pain. If we do get to kiss, she'll be the one to initiate it. Otherwise Dain, you're kidding yourself...


	11. Chapter 11: Goodbye

*dain pov*

I woke up the next morning feeling more tired than I had when I'd fallen asleep. So it turn out that the lovely expedition does start today so I'm pretty screwed. After I brought Jasmine back to bed last night, I had remained on the roof for quite sometime, but if I had rolled off due to sleep and died, Glathon would haunt my grave suspecting I broke our promise. So I returned to my stuffy bedroom. I forced some scalding breakfast porridge down my throat and some thin, waxy books into a tiny bag to take with me. I don't really have any belongings except for what Leif has been trying to supply me with and what I woke up from death in: a dagger, a cloak, a single outfit. But the books I'm bringing have maps and information about Tora in them that could be helpful.

Now, I'm waiting outside the castle, the air is so much cooler than it was last night. A bunch of nameless soldiers patted me on the back, Glathon gave me an encouraging shoulder punch and wink. She also gave me my own bow and arrows, which I am eternally grateful for! Barda barely nodded, hardly looking at me. As my lame going away party continued sluggishly, suddenly Doom appeared, leaning against the open palace door. His ice blue eyes coldly stared me down and I straightened up. He snorted it looked like, and then looked back inside the castle as the King and Jasmine emerged. She was wearing a leather tunic with the Deltora emblem, red tights and knee high leather boots with buckled. Also a curious pin and of course her belt with her dagger and water pouch. Her eyes watched the ground as she came over on tiptoe with Leif's arm securely around her shoulders.

I bowed slightly out of courtesy for the king and he smiled a little, before hugging me. My face went hot as his strong arms patted my back and I just stood there, confused and awkward. He stepped back noticing how stiff I was and put a hand on my shoulder, looking caringly into my eyes as he said, "I shall miss your company, Dain. You...you are a true friend, you know that?"

It was like someone had squeezed my stomach and my throat got tight. I almost felt like crying and just stuttered as the words sank in. Was Leif really such an idiot? Or had I really...really proved that I'm different now? Enough for him to trust me so much?

Am I different now? Really, am I worth such forgiveness? I played him, played him almost as hard as Jasmine and all of Deltora, and here he is trusting me with a mission, sending me out with the girl he loves, trusting I'll return with Adin's journal and Jasmine in one piece. Trusting me. I could tell by the way his stare trembled that he could see the tears welling in my eyes. I didn't let them spill, but grasped his hand and shook it.

"I...I do. Thank you." I mean it. I'm sincere and shaking his hand, nearly crying form how much this means to me. It isn't Jasmine. But if I can change Leif...

"Take good care of Jasmine," Leif playfully narrowed his eyes at me, squeezing my hand to almost the point of pain. I ripped it from his grasp and shook it, whistling and grinning, "I will, I promise." I tried to shoot the grin in Jasmine's direction, but she scowled and kept playing with the hem of her tunic. She looked really beautiful today despite how much she hates me still. Leif kissed her full on, the palace guards and gnomes clapping as Jasmine turned red and pretty motionless beneath him. I looked away. Leif released her, murmuring something in her ear before she stood by my side.

We walked past the gate, people still cheering behind us. I could feel Leif's eyes on my back for a long time. Even once the gate closed. Once the castle was only looking about the size of my fist, I turned to Jasmine and smiled. She looked at me out of the corner of my eye and said, "Thanks for...um...putting me back in my room last night. It wouldn't have been good if I had woken up and fallen off or something."

"You're welcome," I said cheerfully, my smile growing as I realized we could be starting a real conversation, "Did you tell Leif?"

She raised her eyebrows, "Why would he care about me being on the roof?"

I blushed, "Oh, no I mean...why you were crying-"

"I wasn't crying!" she snapped immediately and I looked at the ground.

"Okay, that's fine, that's fine." I said. To try and fill the awkward space I added, "It's good to be out of the castle. Don't you think?"

She gulped and only looked at me out of the corner of her eye again, "I guess. Do we get to go through the Forests to get to Tora?"

"Yeah, we could."

"If it's a detour, then I don't want any special treatment, Dain-"

"I promise its on the way," I smiled and her lip trembled a bit, almost like she was going to smile back, "Tora's far whether we head east or west." As I took the path leading into them, Jasmine grabbed my wrist. I shivered at her touch and she said, jerking her thumb towards another direction, "You won't wanting to go that way unless you'd like to run into the Wenn. She pointed to an older, rockier path, "This is the one I always used if I needed to get in and out." I nodded, clenching my jaw, "You are the expert on this place." She smirked and I noticed how hard it wad for her not to smile. No wonder its hard, she's been craving this place for over a year I bet! You can only be away form home for so long before either having it replaced by something els,e or feeling something empty inside. What was my home? Surely not the Shadowlands or the Del. I rested my eyes on Jasmine as she took lead.

Even surrounded by gnomes and palace guards and the king himself, I'm alone and lost. At least when I'm with Jasmine, I don't feel so totally alone.


	12. Chapter 12: Trees

*JASMINE POV*

The humid air hissed with smoke from Dain's weak fire, the sapphire sky hidden behind blotches of emerald leaves in the Forests' canopy. I rolled onto my back and breathed in the earthy scent, digging my manicured nails into the dirt and listening to the hum of the nocturnal creatures. A peace unlike anything I had witnessed in so long swept over me in a warm wave, I felt as if I was melting into the forest floor and drifting through the woods as a spirit. Sucking in the pure air with a relaxed sigh, I heard the trees start to come alive in surprise.

_Jasmine! Jasmine! Jasmine! Jasmine! You've returned! Jasmine! It's been so long since we've felt your presence! Stay, stay this time Jasmine! _

The voices chanted in breathy whispers, overlapping one another.I laughed easily, eyes still closed but feeling the vibrations of emotion radiating from my old friends. I spoke aloud, "I've missed you so much. I'll be here for a little while. I love you all so, so much." I smiled as the trees hummed sentimentally.

"Jasmine? Who are you talking to?"

My eyelids flashed back and I sat up, head whipping around. Specks of dirt flew from my hair and I felt a rush of happiness for no longer being so insanely clean. Dain strode humbly over, dark violet hair practically covering his entire face as he sat down a bowl of berries he'd gathered and some sticks for the fire. His arms had been loaded with the heavy wood. Huh. Never knew the scrawny boy had muscles under that cloak of his.

"I'm talking to the trees," I said proudly, standing up and eyeing the berries suspiciously. Just with one glance I could tell they were poison. I looked up at him and was waiting for the confusion of my talking trees or maybe that my 'weirdness' would shut him up or make him uncomfortable. Instead, he plucked up a berry and said, "Cool. What did they say?" I blinked at him a bit taken aback. Lief and Barda had recoiled and not believed me the first time they encountered me listening to the trees around here. Then I noticed that he had put the berry on his tongue and ignored the question, rushing over to him, "Spit that out, you idiot! Those are Ravenheart berries, highly poisonous?"

Dain coughed and the little velvety skinned red berry shot from his mouth. I had thought maybe he'd brought them on purpose to poison me. Hey, or maybe he really is just an idiot who just almost killed himself. Why didn't I just let him eat it? He'll be no aid to my survival on this journey anyway. he'll be the death of me due to some stupid accident.

_Jasmine why have you brought this boy here? _One tree whispered as Dain's face blushed and he smiled a little. He thanked me quietly and muttered something about starting the fire. _Quite handsome! _Some of the saplings around me chattered while the old willows tried to shush them. "The trees are wondering why you're here." i said, clearing my throat and ignoring the comment as Dain's first flame sprang up on the wood. "Oh," he said, a little wide eyed and looking around. I saw his ears prick a little bit and his jaw clench as if he were concentrating hard on something. I think he was straining to try and hear them. I drummed my fingers on the rock I was sitting on and then got up, annoyed by my idiot-companion's attempts to listen to the trees.

"Come here," I snapped offering out my hand to lead him over to the old willow tree. His white gloved fingers slipped over mine and held them a little loosely, as I raised his hand to gingerly touch the silver bark. His pale face was a little pink, sparkling violet eyes combing the tree as his hand trembled on the trunk."You have to feel to hear them, Dain." I said, rubbing my own dirty palm affectionately on the willow, "I don't have to anymore because I've grown up here, spoke to them so often that I didn't even need touch them. I hear them even better than people sometimes." He rubbed it slightly, "What does it feel like? There's a hum I think. But how can you translate that to anything?"

"You have to stop treating it like a person. They don't really communicate through words, more just feelings that translate into what they're trying to asl or put forth. Like curious vs happy or angry or nervous." I tried to explain. The trees right now were very conversational. The young ones very curious about Dain, the old ones wary or giving off feelings of a slight whisper of interest. He screwed his eyes shut and said slowly, "Is this one...worried?" he squinted uncertainly and I glanced up at his tree. It was one of the old ones. It wasn't worried, but a little nervous as he touched it.

"You're pretty close." I said reluctantly, not wanting him to start getting a big head about it. A happy grin exploded onto his face suddenly, "Wow! I've never done anything like that before-!"

"-yeah well it's nothing much. Hey, are you still gonna build that fire?" I interjected. His smile faded but he stepped down from the tree root and nodded. Sweat had started trickling down from my temple and as I wiped it away, Dain swept off his cloak. He swiped his forehead and his lean muscles flexed within the sleeves of his white shirt. He had taken his gloves off too due to the heat. In the firelight his dark eyes seemed glittering and miles deep, like tunnels of violet satin sky dotted with amber stars that stretched on forever. His lips were thin and dry, pale like the rest of him and pressed hard together as if he were trying to ignore something or was thinking something troubling.

Suddenly he caught me staring and I glanced away, my cheeks heating up a little in embarrassment. What was I doing, gawking at him like that? I could tell he pretended not to notice as he went off into the woods for more kindle, but I wasn't cold anymore. I was sweating and flushing like mad and I wasn't even close to the fire.

"Jasmine?"

his voice called out and I seized the opportunity, "Dain, it's getting hot we really don't need anymore wood-"

"JASMINE!"

His smooth, quiet voice was suddenly cracked and hoarse with terror and I sat up, hand going for my dagger, "Dain? What's going on?" He answered with a strangled cry. I took off running into where he had disappeared.


	13. Chapter 13: Blood

*jasmine pov*

My boots pounded the overgrown path as I ran, my hair tumbling from its ponytail and my lungs barely breathing. He was still screaming, every now and then calling out. But my throat felt clogged and soundless, i couldn't answer, all I could do was run. The Wenn's red eyes glared form the dark surrounding me as i avoided trees and pushed through. Thinking fast, I scaled a tree and started leaping from tree to tree, realizing this was much easier to travel. Then I saw him, dayger (**dagger but in the anime dain pronounced it really funny like 'dayger' XD**)in hand, his side bleeding heavily as the Wennbar and what looked like Wennbar babies circling him hungrily.

*dain pov*

It's teeth tore into me, and a pain unlike anything else ripped through my entire body like a knife of its own. I howled and stabbed my dayger forward, and I think I got its eye because it screeched and something gooey and gross dripped onto me. I rolled back and staggered to my feet, snatching up my bow and quiver full of arrows. Focus, Dain, focus! you can't just fire randomly! But the demon baby monsters were hissing at me and lunging forward every minute. I loaded in an arrow and got one in the throat. It whined and fell at my feet dead. The Mama monster was furious at this and I felt a thick claw slice into my cheek. I clutched my side and fell back onto the ground. Oh God...what am I going to do now? Their revolting breath surrounded me in a putrid mist, making my head dizzy as slavered fangs grinned down at me. Then As I stared up I saw her. Big wide emerald green eyes peering at me in horror, eyes that seemed to glow in the dark. A monster bit onto my arm hard and I garbled, "Help." as loud as I could. Jasmine stayed perched in the tree, still just staring, and I closed my eyes, trying to wrestle free.

*jasmine*

_Jasmine, he will become a meal!_

The trees hissed frantically in worry as i suddenly remembered who I had been meaning to save. Dain? I would risk my life for _Dain? _

_Jasmine he's dying! there's no use now, help him Jasmine, we're so confused. Help him! Jasmine! Help him!_

The trees moaned and chanted in eerie harmony as I started breathing again. Leif wants him dead. Leif is planning to kill him anyway.

"Help," Dain cried from below and his starry eyes pierced mine for a moment. And then I decided to shut my mind off. I swung down on a vine and stabbed at the Wennbar with my knife. He released Dain's arm, jaws opening wide in a cry. I reached into my pocket for the Ravenheart berries and threw them in all directions. They wouldn't burn at the touch, or Dain wouldn't have gathered them, but the berries hit the monsters in the eye, blinding them instantly. A million yowls erupted, shattering the air as the Wennbar and her children turned in circles of agony. One took a swipe at my leg before bounding off but I hardly felt it. I fell to my knees beside Dain, feeling my body start to rack and shudder with sobs.

Panic seized my every nerve. Leif is wrong, Dain's no ol, this is no ol, this is really a person who trusts us and wants forgiveness and is dying at my feet. It's my fault, it's my fault and i just sat up there too long before helping him and he's not plotting anything! i bent over him, my fingers scrunching up dry grass as fat tears rolled down my cheeks. I touched Dain's face where a deep gash bled heavily and brushed back some hair behind his ear, "Dain?" I whispered with barely a voice at all, "Dain can you hear me? please wake up, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry Dain." My voice broke and I began weeping, pulling his body against me in an embrace. His warm blood leaked from his side wound, staining my tunic and making me shiver. I clutched him tighter, crying and suddenly feeling a thousand walls break down in my mind and memories of him flowed through me fresh as clear water. It was Dain smiling at me when we met. When he handed me that necklace he bought form Steven. The River Queen. Tora. Those nights where we went off together to just talk.

His limp figure stirred in my arms and I pulled back, watching his face desperately. Dain's eyes blinked open and stared blearily up at me. I felt my head spin, and a laugh rattled through my lips hysterically. Dain looked relieved, then confused, "You...you saved m-me?" I nodded moving back to give him space to breathe. I feel weird, changed as I watched him no longer full of resentment and hate.

"Why?" he breathed, trying to sit up and then gasping. His hand flew to his side and then to his ravaged arm. There were a million reasons why, I thought but I looked at him seriously and said, "I was wrong."


	14. Chapter 14: Be Still

hello everyone! sorry i haven't updated in a while, i promise to work on it as much as i can as soon as i can D:

*dain pov*

Something tickled my nose.

I shuddered, sitting up straight and blinking in near darkness. My eyes gazed across the vast lake in front of me, the sun just disappearing on the horizon in a spectacle smear of ruby and gold sunset. I tilted my chin upward at the willow tree I was lying beneath, surrounded by the wispy green tendrils and feeling suddenly calm. Sighing, I realized it hurt to breathe and called out, "Jasmine? Where the heck are we?" Some crickets tittered and I tried to get to my knees, staggering back down and pain pierced my side. Shocked I saw that my chest was bare, my pale middle bound tightly with a cottony fabric. I rubbed the fabric in between my fingers. It was the cloth from Jasmine's tunic.

But where was Jasmine?

Think, Dain, think. What's the last thing you remember? Come on..._.think_...

All I could recall was red, a lot of red. Not blood but a red glow, eyes and red smeared ivory teeth that bit down on me to the point of feeling nothing at all. So much red, I can't even piece together what was going on. But there was green. Emerald green. Jasmine. I remember her face suddenly, all the red gone and everything was so blurred and my ears were filled with thick wet and I could barely even hear what she was saying...

Something stirred in the reeds behind me, cutting off my thought instantly. It was like waking up after a dream and not remembering everything even though you just saw it. On instinct, I reached for my dayger, only touching my hip bone and cursing under my breath. Oh, so Jasmine leaves me alone for who knows how long without a weapon now? The footsteps were getting closer, louder yet light, like a bird's. My mouth twitched recognizing the sound, my fear disappearing as Jasmine tiptoed out. She _had_ butchered most of her tunic for my bandage, the top now ending above her bellybutton, her slender legs still in the leathery crimson legigngs, her dark green hair tied back loosely in a messy bun. She smiled at me so suddenly and hugely like I was the best thign she'd ever laid her pretty eyes on. "You're awake!" she moved as if she were about the embrace me and then seeing my shocked face, retreated and rubbed her arms uncomfortably.

"You cold? I'll make a fire-" she began as I cocked my head, scooting up against the tree to sit up. She watched me expectantly for my answer and I squinted, my brow furrowing. Why was she so pleased to see me all of a sudden?

"No...but...Jasmine what's going on?" I asked, exasperated watching as her grin wavered up and down between a frown and smile. Her eyes were shiny, tearful but not crying yet.

"Y-you were attacked? Rememb-ber?" she started, kneeling down in front of me, "And then...you know, the Wenn...they were killing you and I stopped them." Her voiced cracked a little, her huge eyes seeming to stare into my soul and hold me hostage. "But that was ages ago, Dain we're at the Lake of Tears. It's been a week and you haven't woken up yet, just trembled like you were sick and I swear you've died a couple times." She laughed a little, wiping at her nose as my stomach turned in an unpleasant fluttery way. I tried to speak but couldn't, it was like some energy in the air had sucked my words dry. Jasmine's tan hands were shaking, the last snatch of sunlight gleaming on her skin.

I cleared my throat, sliding closer to her away from the tree. I forced myself to meet her nervous eyes and I rasped, "Why...why didn't you just let me die?" My heart was beating like crazy, her face was so close to mine. I could practically see as my words brushed against her soft cheeks. "After all I've done, you could've been rid of me, Jasmine."

Her lips trembled, her hand rubbing her forehead as she suddenly whispered, "I don't want to be rid of you, Dain!"

Time seemed to completely stopped as she kissed me.

I thought that after all the time I'd spent imagining this moment, I'd be ready, or be able to take in everything I could of her before the moment passed, but I was immobile. I could onyl feel the plush silk of her lips, warm, perfect, pressing over and over on mine as if she actually wanted me. I closed my eyes, my hand resting on her cheek, pushing back a forest green curl and pulling her closer. She was here. She was_ here_.

And she wasn't stopping me.

My mouth traveled to her jaw, kissing below her chin and around her neck, making her fingers curl at her sides. My free hand grasped her bare waist, gentle on her smooth skin and pulling her down beside me. I didn't notice night come. I didn't notice as tears poured from my eyes and wet her skin. I didn't notice the pain that should be ripping through me- I was numb to all else but her.

"Dain...why are you crying?" she murmured, pulling back and tracing her finger worriedly under my eyes. I didn't like that we had stopped, that we had to worry again after that happiness. I didn't want to dwell on 'why' and she was making me. "Are you going to say why you're kissing me?" I retorted quietly, distracted by calm rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.

Her eyes sparkled and as she leaned in again and I craned my neck upward, someone stepped from behind the tree.

"I would like to know that as well."


	15. Chapter 15: Dun dun duuun!

*LIEF POV*

I was rambling again.

For some reason, ever since I've sent Jasmine on that mission/plot to finally get rid of Dain, these war meetingS feel less and less important. There's nothing to bring up any more. For the first time in a while since I've succeeded the throne, I've actually felt like a jumpy 16 year old among a bunch of stuffy old men. And yet, while in the middle of a ramble about Del's economy (booooring) all the military generals and gnomes and guards look so intent and interested. As the oldest and stuffiest of the group started raising his hand to speak, I leapt in, "And I think that's all for today! Thank you, gentlemen...I...er...look forward to our next discussion." A few hand shakes and nods, thank yous and finally everyone has shuffled out of my study.

I collapsed, slouching into my armchair, stinging cobalt blue eyes closed for a moment of rest. I have to admit, ol or not Dain really had helped make these meetings more interesting. Even worse, without Jasmine's lovely mischief and Dain's witty sarcasm the castle has been so dull. How long has it been? A week? 2? 2 sounds about right i think. I wonder about them all the time. Was I an idiot to leave her with him? Why didn't I send Barda too? Why did I even send Jasmine in the first place?

_You know you wanted to play with Dain a little first, Lief. _A nagging voice in the back of my head commented. The voice was right though. Jasmine had a thing for him before, and now what do you know when we finally start working out, Dain comes right back saying he's changed and starts getting all flirty and...well, Dain-y. Even I have to admit i might have felt something for him during the quest. But that was his ol nature, draw me in, draw us all in and then shatter us. Sending him out there with Jasmine will make him feel free to make a move I bet. He won't only think i trust him, but that I'm giving him a chance with my soon to be fiance.

_That is if she says yes, you know. _The voice nagged again.

I sighed, my stomach lurching a little at the last time I brought up the idea. I reached for the drawer of my desk and tugged it open. Smiling, I took out the ring I had made for her one day visiting my old blacksmith shop. I had crafted it especially for her: dainty gold, thin and lacy edged gold with flower shaped rose quartz embedded in it and an inscription on the inside that read "our next quest is the quest of our lives together". I showed Barda all proud about it one day and he just looked at me funny, like the quote was cheesy or something. I think it's perfect. I miss her so much. I miss my latest quest of getting her used to the castle. Letting her try all of the new desserts and showing her the crazy number of flowers I've had seeds taken from the Forests so that she can have a gigantic garden. I even think she might be warming up to some of the dresses I've showed her. she looks so good in red.

I hope she's happy being out in the wild again. Despite my trying to help her here, i know she still felt out of place. I hope Dain hasn't made a move. I hope they're still barely talking and only arguing like how it was before they left. I hope I made the right choice...

I should check up on them...yeah! I can see if she's still safe, if she's leading him to the right place for when we take him down. I already have a few gnomes stationed around each checkpoint they would probably go to, but it could take days for them to alert me if something has happened. Thinking about Jasmine I didn't even realize that suddenly I was smiling. I would be seeing Dain too though. My stomach fluttered and I shook my head, getting up from the chair and brushing aside the window curtain to stare out at my city.

Maybe when I show up, I can take care of Dain personally. I wouldn't have to be alone, Barda and Doom and some dread gnomes could be lurking in the shadows as I'm drawing him in, ready to attack if he strikes back. I'd be sweet, clever like he had been when we faced off last year. I'd throw it all back in his face, but worse because his dear Jasmine will be helping. He'll be so shocked, I can see his handsome face now going blank and betrayed. My heart was racing now thinking of it. Maybe then...my nightmares will stop. Maybe then Dain will finally leave me and I'll stop hurting every time I have to think about him and who I thought he was.


	16. Chapter 16: Trust Me

*jasmine pov*

Before even trying to recognize the voice a list of names shot through my head- _Lief, Doom, Barda, Lief, oh god, Lief!_

Dain and I shot apart like lightning had struck between us, I scrambled off of him, hand on my dagger as my eyes tried to focus on who the figure was.

Not Lief...it wasn't Lief, the person was too short, with auburn spiky hair. She stepped into view clutching a bow and quiver of arrows, her eyes a vibrant topaz and skin tinted blue. Air left my lungs in partial relief as Dain asked in shock, "Glathon? What the dayger are you doing here for?" He attempted to get to his feet, and I rested my hand on his shoulder to prevent him form hurting himself even more. The dread gnome whistled, crossing her muscular arms across her chest, "Well in all honesty, i was looking for you, Master Dain. Didn't expect to find you so easily. You two made quite some noise." she smiled wickedly and my face got hot, mouth tightening and i spat back, "And what were you following us for, hmm?"

Glathon narrowed her eyes, "Actually...I was coming here to warn Dain."

My lungs seemed to stop working. Oh no. Oh no.

"Warn me of what?" Dain said slowly, tilting his head to one side and glancing at me. No, no, no, no- Glathon couldn't know what Leif was up to, right? My throat was getting thick, I couldn't speak.

"Of _her_, Leif. She's leading you into a trap." Glathon hissed, her scary eyes focused deadly on me.

"Says who?" Dain scoffed defiantly, his starry eyes scanning me over and then his jaw clenching at Glathon, "Glathon, this is ridiculous you know we can trust her-"

"He can trust me, Glathon, I-I promise things have changed-" I stammered desperately trying to see if she knew what I was talking about. But standing up I felt my whole body start shaking in the Dread Gnome's presence.

"Oh save it, Jasmine! Dain, listen to me!" Glathon begged earnestly, striding up to him as Dain struggled to get to his feet. His eyes flickered on me for a moment no longer admiring and I felt sick.

*dain pov*

I honestly can't believe that less than 5 minutes ago I was kissing the girl of my dreams and now said girl is being accused of betraying me by the girl who was first to really trust me. Gah my head hurts...

I looked at Jasmine, her face panicked and flushed. But why _did_ she look guilty, like Glathon had exposed something about her? If Jasmine said she was innocent, she would be angry and her fiery, defensive self. Why was she so freaked if she had nothing to be scared about? I felt her cringe under my skeptical gaze and the horrifying truth seemed to dawn on me. She was lying.

"Explain then." i said curtly, stiffly, looking away from Jasmine and at Glathon because my stomach was starting to feel like acid having to look at her.

"Leif still thinks you're an ol and that you can't be trusted, so he sent you far away to be..._dealt_ with outside of the public eye." said Glathon as my brain started working fast. I was in shock, the memories not linking up with the truth she claimed. However, I smirked, crossing my arms across my bare chest and i sneered, "I'm an idiot. I can't believe I thought he was thick enough to trust me again." I spun on Jasmine, the disgusted smile still on my lips as i laughed, "And you! Of course you must've known about this, being his girl and everything."

Deflated looking and wringing her hands, Jasmine's emerald eyes focused on the ground, tears trickling down her cheeks. I limped over to her, trying not to show how much pain it took even to stand, "you were leading me to my execution, weren't you?" my voice had gone from slight hysteria to icy calm. i could barely take this anymore. I snatched my shirt from below the willow tree and turned toward Glathon, "So what now? Where should I go?"

"Dain, look I know it started out this way but i believe you now, okay?" Jasmine suddenly cried, her face going red and almost angry, "I believe you, and I trust you, okay? I wasn't going to let Lief kill you anymore."

"Shut it, princess." Glathon growled, shoving Jasmine and tossing me my archery set, "Dain, we're going to Dread Mountain. Yeah, its a journey but there's no way we can go back to Del and definitely not where Leif is waiting at Tora." I nodded feeling numb and shaky at the same time. Jasmine was trying so hard to catch my eye. I wouldn't look at her. I can't believe how much I'm drowning in my own mortal stupidity. I really have become a human now, haven't I? Couldn't stop it, and the minute I seemed to accept it and let myself give in to my new desires, that human desire for some kind of affection turned and stung me in the heart.

As Glathon and I began walking away, Jasmine's thin, tan fingers grabbed my arm, pulling me to face her. "Dain,_ listen_ to me!" she said fiercely, her jaw set, "I'm not going to turn you into Leif, I decided that days ago when I realized there was no way you were lying. When I saw you bleed and hurt from that Wenn attack and that it hurt me too much to even stand seeing you like that, ol or not." I found myself growing weak at her touch, her words bouncing around in my head. "You have to trust me, I promise I've changed." she said emphasizing each word. I paled, shrugging out of her grip and stared at her.

How many freaking times have I asked _her_ this? how many times have I proved myself over and over and have her refuse, shoot me down with 'never' and words like 'monster'? How many times has she walked away and acted coldly to me despite anything I do for her, anything I say or promise? How can she expect me to forgive her, now that she wants to be trusted again? Staring at her, i easily imagined if the roles were flipped for a second. Jasmine would say, "It takes more than that Dain." 'More than that'? I'll never redeem myself for her! There's nothing I can do to make it better in her mind. Nothing. But staring at her, with her cheeks red from emotion and hands shaking in fists, I thought of how she kissed me just moments ago, how I could feel how close she felt for me now. My heart beat too loud in my ears while we stood facing each other.

Glathon was about to say something when I broke the silence, "I...I trust you. At least enough so that I know you won't try anything when..."

My eyes flashed to Glathon's and after a moment i think she she understood and edged unnoticeably closer to Jasmine. "When what?" Jasmine snapped, eyes narrowing and lips parted as Glathon raised her bow and whacked the back of Jasmine's head. She fell to the pebbly ground and I felt my stomach heave seeing her get knocked out. Glathon sighed and frowned at me, "Shall we be on our way?" I watched Jasmine's body for a moment then murmured, "Mmhmm. But," I gently lifted Jasmine and nestled her tiny figure in my arms, "We're not going to Dread Mountain. We're going to Tora. I am not missing Lief's face when I ruin his dumb plan." Glathon gaped at me for a moment, but sighing again and walking, grumbled, "You're crazy, but I guess just slipping away from the King is too risky. We need a confrontation, but a good plan so that he doesn't kill us on the spot." I nodded, my fingers cold around Jasmine's warm leg as we walked.

"And Dain?" Glathon added, a smile turning up on her lips, "Congrats on getting the girl. I saw that makeout back there." I knocked her on the shoulder but couldn't help but grinning. But did I really finally win Jasmine over?


	17. Chapter 17: Supposed to

*jasmine pov*

"can i open my eyes yet you idiot?"

"nope. just walk a little bit farther."

"if i walk any farther i'm going to fall off this boat."

"you won't, i promise. okay...now...open."

I did as I was told and blinked in the morning sunlight glinting off the water that rushed under The River Queen. Beyond the banks of the river I could make out a town in the distance and something that looked like a stadium, "Rithmere?" I asked, turning back toward's Dain. He was swinging around on one of the smokestacks on the upper level of the steamboat, his tousled violet hair in his eyes. He grinned down at me, "Yep! We're getting close now! If we ride the Broad River for just a few more miles, we'll be on River Tor in no time."

Glathon, Dain, and I had taken over the River Queen a week ago now, throwing out the captain and the creepy ol-like passengers. You see, if you look at a map of deltora, the Broad River starts around the Lake of Tears and continues down all the way past the Shifting Sands to the River Tor which leads into Tora.

Ugh.

Just thinking of Tora makes my stomach heave.

Probably because Tora means we'll be seeing lief, and seeing Lief means Dain's confrontation and then Lief will see how much I've changed and what's changed between me and Dain...and...I'm exhausting myself thinking about it. I just have to enjoy the calm boat ride. We haven't met any sorcerers or monsters lately so life is pretty good. And despite Glathon's constant jokes about me and Dain, I've decided she's pretty cool. She is the one who is driving the River Queen, Dain just is giddy pretending to be captain and I just hang around him or watch Kree fly above us. I haven't felt this free in ages. Everything feels..._right _now. Like at the palace I was so unhappy and trapped, and then i was still trapped journeying with Dain because I wasn't being honest with myself on how I feel about him, and now everything is out in the open and its frightening how happy I am. Its scary how life at Del feels like a weird dream and sleeping in Dain's arms feels normal and real. But then I have to accept the Lief is real and he's really going to be mad at me. Then all this feels too good to be true.

Lief wanted to marry me. And not just that sort of commitment but I love him. I know I love him, we had each other's backs saving Deltora and journeyed together and had so many great adventures that brought us together. It just brought him to me thinking that we could be lovers while I just saw it as something more like really good friends or family or something. I can't remember ever leading him on. But after the quest he pulled me aside and kissed me and he made it seem like this was where we were supposed to end up; together. Like the quest was supposed to make me feel differently about him. And I did get over how wimpy I thought he was in the beginning and decided he was strong and great, but the romance he felt for me only burned on his side. The excitement of actually being kissed and having someone I know I can trust faded quickly to just another thing I was supposed to do. Like living in the castle. I was supposed to live there as a hero. I was supposed to get used to dresses and fancy food. I was supposed to love Lief and live happily ever after with him.

But since when do I do what I'm supposed to?

I drummed my fingers on the railing of the ship, staring out as Rithmere passed us by. Suddenly, i felt arms wind around my middle and a shiver went down my spine and the white gloved fingers rubbed my waist. I smiled and leaned my head back onto Dain's shoulder. He didn't say anything, just laugh softly and and sway me back and forth for a moment.

Supposed to. I guess I stand corrected. i feel like I'm supposed to be with Dain. I'm supposed to love him and I...I do. But instead of everyone else telling me what to do I feel like something inside me is what's telling me this is actually what I'm supposed to do, and who I'm supposed to love.

His cold lips brushed over my cheek gently, over and over. Then they trailed to the corner of my mouth and kissed it. I turned toward him and rested my palms on his shoulders. His eyes looked me over, his mouth half smiling and playful. He came forward at me and I went up on my toes to meet him. We kissed long and it felt so real that every kiss I had ever shared with Lief seemed to not even count anymore. Like my first kiss was back at the Lake of Tears with Dain because I actually felt something, like both us us were breathing somethign into each other, not just Lief overtaking me with passionate kisses that felt empty and wet and my mouth just moving mechanically.

"It's cold out here. Wanna go back in to the Captains Quarters?" Dain asked, pulling back and goofily wagging an eyebrow. My heart fluttered and I smacked him on the shoulder reluctantly saying, "We have tonight, you jerk. Anyway, someone has to be look out- DAIN PUT ME DOWN!"

He had cut me off by scooping me up and throwing me over his shoulder, a laugh dancing from his mouth as he jumped over the railing and he ran toward our bedroom door. "I've got you, Jasmine!" He yelled as i hammered his back lightly with ym fists in protest. He nudged the door open with the toe of his tall boots and carefully tossed me onto the bed. Closing it, Dain spun back to face me. I grinned and he jumped down beside me, seizing my face with his hands and pressing his mouth to mine.


	18. Chapter 18:Ambush

*dain pov*

watch?v=eIZNyC1uYko

I opened my eyes. The bed was almost too warm, and I couldn't shake that strange feeling of oversleeping and yet wanting to keep laying in bed. I like being on a boat how it sways and makes me lull into sleep like someone was rocking you. I did get seasick once though, human-Dain metabolism sucks for some reason. I yawned and turned my head on the pillow to look up at the small window above my head. It was dark now, and I could see every star even from this window.

Jasmine made a grumbly noise and snuggled in close to me. It's times like this that I have to remind myself I'm awake and no longer dreaming. But if this is just all a dream, then I should just enjoy it, right? Her little green head was on my chest and her stomach flattened and grew against mine every time she breathed. It was relaxing to feel every part of her lovely body on me while she sleeps and I narrate corny things to myself in my head. As I closed my eyes and stroked her tan arm lightly with my fingertips, I heard a rap on my door. I sat up and hissed into the dark, "One moment Glathon."

I slid out of bed silently leaving a pillow under Jasmine's head where my chest had been, and I hastily pulled on my clothes. I snatched up my dayger and slipped out of the room. I stared out at the empty deck as The River Queen bobbed along. Huh. Weird. Had Glathon knocked at all or had I just been hearing things? "Glathon? What's up?" I called, more loudly than before. There was a clattering above me. She must still be steering on the upper deck then. I jogged out and then climbed up the ladder.

"Master Dain?" I heard her squeak from inside the control room/where the complicated steering stuff is and panic seized me. I burst inside, "Glathon, what's the matter?" But I choked off staring at her. She was no longer in the captain's chair, but gasping on the floor in a pool of red, her amber eyes fluttering as she gazed up at the ceiling. I stumbled over to her, falling to her side as I slipped in the blood and I found I couldn't breathe I'd never felt this way before, not as an ol or human, it was like the world was shaking and warping and I was running out of time and had to scream but couldn't even grasp the ability to use my voice. I grabbed her hand and rasped, "What happened, Glathon who did this?" it didn't sound like me who was speaking and i didn't quite believe I would have to ever use these words to ym best friend and I hated how calm my voice came out anyway.

She gargled out scarlet foam and I cried out, putting a hand over my mouth to keep from sobbing. she said, "You...look...like a girl...crying...over a gnome." she laughed and coughed up more blood, "Dain...Lief...he...Jasmine...Tora." She pointed to the window and I didn't look at it because I was too disoriented. "Glathon, how can I help?" But she finally looked at me. She smiled with crimson painted teeth and said much more clearly than her last sentence, "Kiss me, Master Dain." I bent down and kissed her without question, and ignored the taste of her blood on her lips. I felt her smile and then her breathing stopped brushing on my face. I pulled away shakily seeing how her eyes were fixed on me but looking at nothing. She was still smiling somehow, and a tear trickled down her cheek.

Glathon was dead.

Remembering what she had said, _Dain...Lief...he...Jasmine...Tora, _I stood with her blood all over my hands and peered out the window with my vision swimming. We had reached Tora, I could see that archway filter thing and the magnificent buildings. I'd have to anchor us or whatever on the shore to get off. But _Lief...he...Jasmine..._and I felt like I had been punched. Lief. Lief had killed her. But how? He was in Del...no he isn't. He was waiting for me at Tora. To face off. And he realized I knew his plan when he saw Glathon, didn't he? She wasn't supposed to be with us, he must've realized I knew and...Jasmine!

I refused to look at Glathon's corpse as I sprinted down the steps, my white boots red no and world spinning so much that I started tripping over air. I burst into our room and my blood ran cold in an instant. I slid down against the wall, mouth agape in horror and disbelief.

Jasmine was gone. A scroll lay on her pillow.

I checked the sheets for red and saw none. Lief wouldn't harm her. But would he be willing to if he knew? i fumbled with unrolling the scroll but tried to read it.

_So you figured it out then? I'm sorry for your friend but I couldn't let her save you could I? I can't beat a Dread Gnome. If you want Jasmine, meet me in Tora. I'd like to see you try getting through that filter of their's. -Lief_


	19. Chapter 19: The Filter

*lief pov*

"LIEF PUT ME DOWN! PUT ME DOWN, YOU BASTARD!" Jasmine screeched, slung over my shoulder as I grit my teeth to stay strong against my love's words. I hated not giving her what she wanted, but I had to make it ashore to Tora. She bit my shoulder and dug her nails into my back. I yowled and rose my hand to hit her, but couldn't. What had gotten into her? "Jasmine _calm down._ Why are you so upset?" She screamed, "DAIN! DAIN LIEF HAS ME, OH GOD DAIN-!"

"SHUT UP!" I said, forcing myself to hit her this time. I smacked her back with the back of my hand. She whimpered and i instantly regretted it. I kept wading through the icy water of the River Tor, and the shore was only about a yard away now. "I'm sorry, but you really need to be quiet, Jasmine..." I moaned, stepping up past the slimy green rocks and stumbling onto the shore. I carried her into a thick patch of woods where we wouldn't be seen or heard, then set her down gently on a rock. Wow, it was really so great to see her. After I go t rid of Glathon as a distraction (and I just couldn't believe she'd gone behind my back..) I found Jasmine peacefully sleeping in her bed looking so beautiful and couldn't help but kiss her before I told her it was time to put the plan in action. I thought she'd be happy to see me, but I should've cleaned my hands first because she saw my bloody hands and freaked and asked where Dain was and everything fell apart for some reason. Then I picked her up in her blanket and carried her out.

I stared at her hopefully as she watched me with a series of emotions playing across her face. First, loathing, then confusion, then shock, and then something a mixture of them all with a little bit a of happiness. She stood up, her blanket wrapped around her and I wondered what she was wearing under the blanket, but just stood there patiently waiting for her to come to her senses. Then, she walked towards me with her dirty bare feet and brought her face close to mine.

*jasmine pov*

There were a few things I could do. I wanted to slap him, or spit right on his face because of how he scared me and how he killed glathon or is plotting to kill my most recent lover, but that might not be the smartest thing to do right now. God. What happened to him?If he thinks I'm gonna agree to marry him now...you know I thought we'd get out of this with Lief and I still being good friends or something, I'd convince him to come to his senses about us and and about Dain and then we could part peacefully still looking back on the good times we had on the quest. But he had to murder Glathon and kidnap me making this into a war. So, slap, spit, punch...?

Using all of my strength and determination, I scrunched my eyes closed and leaned forward to kiss him. This made Lief very happy. When we were done he stood back and smiled saying "Phew. I got scared for a moment you had crossed over to his side." I smiled back. Hahaha..._yeah_...

"His side, are you crazy?" I asked, nudging him playfully in the ribs and acting completely casual. I figure that if I act like everything is okay, I'll at least have a chance of getting out of this. And now Lief suspects nothing of me and Dain being together. He won't know I betrayed him. I can ease into things calmly...

"Well all this alone time, I couldn't help but worry." He said bashfully, rubbing his hands together and moving toward the river again to wash them clean of blood. Tears sprung in my eyes thinking of Dain finding Glathon dead and then picturing her corpse made me feel even sicker. Bastard. Leech. Jerk. Evil. Bastard. Leif dried his hands on his pants and showed them to me, "Clean?" he asked. I looked them over and saw not a spot remained, but said, "All the perfumes of Deltora will not sweeten that little hand (**MACBETH REFERENCE HAHA IM READING IT RIGHT NOW SO SORRY**)."

"Blast..."Lief muttered, rubbing at them and then looking up at me with his no longer so innocent looking cerulean eyes. "We haven't much time until Dain finds the note I've left. Jasmine, Glathon betrayed us and most definitely spilled the beans on our plan, but does Dain still trust you? It's vital that he does." He beckoned for me to start walking with him and we made our way through the archway while we whispered.

"He trusts me. But Lief, I think you should know that-"

"Hmm...yes...I think this archway will weaken him. It did before, remember? But now he's even more evil coming back and all..."

"Lief that's what I want to talk to you about-"

"Oh I can't WAIT to see the look on his face, Jasmine! Can you?"

"Lief listen to me!" I said desperately, grabbing him by the shoulders and looking into his gleeful face. It was so hard to look at him and not feel sorry for him. Lief had been so pure of heart before, romantic and loyal...and now he's killing off his own gnomes for a revenge mission and smiling about murder. I stopped him, we were halfway through the tunnel and he was impatient , but i held him there with my thin fingers. "Dain isn't evil."

"Of course he is-!"

"LISTEN!" I hissed, shoving him back a little. He was taken aback at my strength. He fell silent, but tapped his toe as if he had more important things to do. "Dain nearly died this past journey with him, and i can promise you, I can swear to you that he is not an ol anymore." Lief's nostrils flared and he rubbed his temples, opening his mouth, and then closing it. Was I getting through to him? He looked almost like the filter was hurting him this time...he started moving more quickly towards the exit.

"And even more than that, he's saved my life so many times, Lief, and he's saved yours, and I don't know why fate or whatever shoved him back into our world, but he's a good man now, Lief. He hasn't caused me any trouble this whole time and I think we should let him live. He's...strong. And he's honest and loyal, and he cares about me, Lief I trust him as much as I trust you." _Maybe even more._

I was finished now, and waiting patiently in fear for what Lief would say. He cleared his throat and we stepped out into Tora. Everything was still. He sat by the fountain, still saying nothing. When I joined him, he looked me over and then said gruffly, "Have you two...been together?" I deflated. Was it that obvious? Did I look different or something, did I say something that inclined him to go to that? Been together. Been together. Well, we've 'been together' this entire trip...but I doubt that's what he's referring to. How he stared at me was unreadable. All I knew was that his eyes looked like they would be able to see through any lie I'd try to come up with. And I still cared about him to a certain extent. I looked at my hands and found them to be trembling. But swallowing my fear, I met his eyes again, but this time I was crying. I'm sorry Lief.

"Yes."

Lief inhaled deeply, getting to his feet and looking up at the sky with a hand rubbing over his mouth like he was contemplating something. He looked at me, tears smarting in his eyes and his face twisting into a pained, ugly grimace. To my horror, he laughed, "But of course you've been with him! Let his dirty ol mouth kiss yours and hands slither all over you, and you _liked _it?"

"Shut up, Lief! I'm sorry you don't approve but I don't 'belong' to you!" I yelled at him, my fury boiling over now. I couldn't contain it anymore, and obviously neither could he. He stormed up to me and seized my wrists holding them so tightly I whimpered and closed my eyes in pain, "You are MINE , Jasmine! How could you let him touch you? Stain you with his filth like that?" I wrestled free from his grip and he swung a hit at me. I ducked and stole his sword from his sheath. It was much heavier than my dagger, and I stumbled with the heavy silver that I shakily pointed at his chest, "You don't own me, you never did! Lief he's not a monster! I'm sorry you have to hear this way, but Lief I...I love him."

As soon as the words came out, he roared and though the words would probably be the death of me, I knew they were true. I loved him. Simple as that and unbreakable and unstoppable and real. He kicked down the sword I held and tackled me to the ground, digging my shoulder blades into the dirt as I screamed. He slapped me across the face with the back of his hand, his tears falling into my mouth and dribbling off his face onto mine. He was moaning all sorts of gibberish while he crushed me, "Jasmine...I'm sorry, I'm sorry Jasmine, but I just can't...i can't think. Forgive me, love me again, please? please Jasmine? I love you too much to let him...you've been with him!" He hit me again, punching my right eye and mouth and I saw lights dancing all around his head like I was going madder than he was.

"_J__ASMINE!_

I heard someone shout from far away and I grinned as Lief put his dagger to my throat and then drew it back in shock. He got off of me and then yanked me to my feet by my hair, I squinted up at who was at the end of the tunnel that led to Tora and felt my heart rise to see that it was Dain after all. "Look who showed up." i giggled quietly just to annoy lief. He gripped my hair more tightly and yelled out to Dain, "Well then, you want her? Come get her or I'll kill her, I swear I will, she's nothing like the girl I loved."

*dain pov*

"Really?" I shouted back cockily, trying to stay calm, "I don't believe you ever really loved her at all. Or at least she didn't love you, Your Highness." I could almost see the vein pulsing in Lief's temple, but standing at the entrance of the Tora-evil-filter-thing-that-i-hated I got extremely terrified. Unless Jasmine and I are right and I'm completely evil-free and human now, it would be tough getting through this filter. I stared at the white stone and took my first step, talking to lief the entire way.

"You know, if anything, I always sorta thought you had a creepy crush on me, Lief." I began as he made a growling noise at the end of the tunnel. jasmine had stopped screaming and might be smiling at me. good, I'd entertain her until I whooped that jerk's sorry butt. "I'm sorry to say that I'm taken. And I don't date evil manipulative boys that murder their crush's best friend. Don't know, just a thought."

"Shut your face, Dain!" Lief yelled, and his face was red as the blood that was still plain on his hands. The filter stung. It didn't hurt half as bad as how it did when I was still Ol-Dain and sneaky and pretending to be from Tora, and that gave me hope. Maybe I'd make it through. Maybe I'd save Jasmine. I was almost halfway now, and pretending to look fatigued and in utter agony I gasped, "Lief, you know what. I wanna strike a deal with you. But you're to have to put down my girlfriend."

He whistled, "Oh, I know what you're playing at and I won't make any deals with you."

"But I know you're dying to know what it is I have to offer, so here it is." I said, my tone losing all playfulness and face solemn. My human heart beat against my chest so hard I thought it would bust out. "If you come up and meet me, right here in the very middle of this tunnel, I'll let you kill me. Or at least try when I..." I tossed my trusty dayger behind me and back out of the filter to the shore. "if you can fight me right in the middle of this tunnel, and kill me, I guess Jasmine's all yours, but I want to give you an advantage with em already suffering and all in here."

"Why would you give me that advantage?" he asked, voice rough and eager.

"Because if I fought you out there, it wouldn't be fair for you. I'd kill you before you could come up with witty banter, or clever last words." I smiled creepily at him, narrowing my eyes and trying to lure him in to me. I'd had practice with luring in lief during the quest, and the old sultry look worked on the first try. He released his hold of Jasmine's hair and she crumpled to the grass, gasping and bleeding from her mouth. her beautiful eyes looked swollen. had he really gotten so bad that he would hit her?

Lief plucked his sword up from the ground, and with his eyes intent on me, he confidently started walking towards me. the effect of the filter was gradual, but as soon as he got into the violet blare I noticed him clench his jaw. As he came closer and closer, his breathing became more labored, and he tried to pass it off as laughter I think. but he was gasping for air, his face almost blue and hold on his sword growing slack. I moved backwards a few steps while Lief was busy groaning or wiping his eyes. So this is what it looks like for a recent murderer to walk through an anti-evil tunnel ready to kill again. "I"m coming for you..." he groaned, trying to smile but looking up at the tunnel as if it was betraying him. he fell to his knees, a few feet away form me now. He couldn't hold his sword, and he grabbed his head like something was attacking him from the inside. Then he began to crawl towards me, howling and choking on air and looking like the filter had sucked him dry of all he was. At my feet, he reached up a hand, as if to ask for me to help pull him up. he wouldn't be able to stand. I smiled in cruel peasure of seieng him so weak and pitiful and dying at my feet finally.

Then I heard Jasmine crying from the other end and i looked up at her. her hands were covering her mouth and eyes streaming. Lief was a jerk and definitely messed up, but he was still her Lief. Quest Lief, king Lief, and she probably hadn't realized it, but the idea of no more Lief was something she couldn't watch. I looked back down at him and knelt beside his exhausted body that lay flat on the ground now. I bent over him and putting my lips to his ear I did the weakest thing I've ever done in this dumb human body.

"You're dying Lief, but I'm giving you a choice. I will pick you up and leave you outside this goddamn tunnel and you'll live if you promise to leave me and Jasmine alone forever, and if you don't make this swear to me right now, I will leave you here forever you to rot in here with your blood stained hands and guilt. Your choice. You are so much better than this and if you give up on hating me and don't start hating her you will be so much happier and this filter wouldn't be hurting you so much, would it? Let us go and I'll save you. I don't like you, but you're actually an okay king and just need to get over this, alright? Move on and tell Jasmine you're sorry or you'll never be able to live with yourself even if I let you out of here." I stared down at him, daring him to speak. Lief's eyes were crying, lips trembling and all he said was, "I...hate me. i hate me so much. Just leave me here."

"you know, I think that's the easy way out." i said, gripping his collar and clenching my teeth together. lief stared into my eyes and I knew he was telling the truth when he said, "I promise. I'll leave you...I'll leave you two alone. I can't believe the crap I've done-"

I slung him over my shoulder and ran out of the tunnel before he could finish apologizing. As soon as we left it, Lief took a deep gulp of air. it was like he had been drowning underwater and unable to come up for air. He panted on the grass, crying and then passing out. I had let him live. After he killed Glathon. After he beat Jasmine. After he came ready for my blood too. And even when he was there and vulnerable and I wouldn't even have to touch him to kill him, my stupid human heart grew weak and made me be the good guy. But i had more important things to do then gaze at the pitiful sight of unconscious Lief.

I took off into the tunnel, and Jasmine was limping over to me too, her arms reaching out. I reached her and picked her up, hugging her tiny body close to mine and swinging her around while she cried. So much crying going on and I hate it, but when i set her down she was smiling. She started kissing me all over my face in bloody little pecks, "You. Genius. You're. Alive. I'm . Alive. We. _Survived_." she said in between kissing me and I raised my eyebrows, "So I'm guessing you want to go back to Del?"

She made a noise in the back of her throat and stumbled a little, so I scooped her up and carried her in my arms. She nuzzled her head into my chest, "_No. _But...ugh I guess we have to give my Dad these..." In shock I saw that she held in her hand some musty old papery thing that I guessed was Adin's journal. Huh. They really exist. "And how did you just so happen to find these?" I asked as I walked by Lief (starting to stir but who cared about him anymore).

"They were under the fountain. I thought I might've felt them when Lief and I were sitting there before we got into a fight, and when he was going towards you, I saw it as my chance to check it out."

"So we'll deliver them, and then what?" I asked glancing down at her.

"We make Lief bury Glathon."


	20. Chapter 20: GASP! tears

This is the final chapter. I'm really going to miss writing this story :(, but it has to end eventually, and I'd like to close it off. Thank you for all the VERY helpful and nice reviews, the follows, and favourites- i jump and smile every time i see one and im just very grateful and happy to have written this and have people actually like it. I hope now you might not hate Dain as much? That was my goal, I guess. If he got another chance and a soul, I wanted people to see that he could change and become an even stronger person than lief and get the girl yadda yadda...

THANK YOU ITS BEEN WONDERFUL :3

-Raine Y.

* * *

><p>*dain pov*<p>

I stared at the soft soil and sighed. I bet she'd rather be buried somewhere else, her home at Dread Mountain perhaps but it would take another few weeks to get there, and Jasmine and I really did have to get home with Lief. Watching the ground I felt silly almost. Like I was just staring at the ground and a corpse but not Glathon. No, Glathon was this lively, feisty amber haired, blue skinned gnome who'd smack me on the shoulder and say it was time to get going and leave this plot of meaningless earth. Then she'd say that when we get back to the castle, I'd be ready to join the guard and she'd teach me all of her archery tricks and when i'm an old man she'll make fun of that time I tried to kill myself and she'd be all old and wrinkly and look like a man by then, but still be my best friend. She'd remind me constantly, "Remember when i told you to keep going after that girl? Looks like I gave you the right advice, Master Dain." Then she'd hit me affectionately and I'd blush and grumble at myself not blush while Jasmine rubs my arm and Glathon winks.

But instead I'm just going to stare at this soil and pretend it's her.

She's not going to come over and tell me to get on the River Queen, or grow old with me, or teach me archery or any of that.

She's just going to lay under there forever. Must be boring. Must be lonely.

I buried her with her bow and quiver of arrows. I'm sure she would've said something if she had wanted to pass it on to me or something but since she could barely say anything and I don't think I can ever handle the bow like her, I decided she'd at least want that to keep her company.

What is it like, to be dead? I wouldn't know. I should know, shouldn't I? There was a gap of a few days, wasn't there? How long was I out before springing back up like a blade of grass that had been stepped on? Maybe it was my master's punishment. Maybe he did something where, when I dissolved and went back to the Shadowlands, he said something like, "Because you have failed me, I curse you to wander the earth forever as a weak human creature with feelings and body odor muhahaha, you will have no memory of this!"

But Glathon wouldn't end up in the Shadowlands and I don't even know if I went anywhere. Maybe I just fell asleep when Lief stabbed me. It felt like dying. I remember being goo. Then all went black and then I woke up. But Glathon wasn't an ol, so even if i went somewhere for a short while, Glathon would have no reason to go to my Master. Maybe she's a ghost. Man, she'd hate that.

I just wish I knew how this works. Death=elimination to me, and I wish I could still call it that but then how could someone like Glathon be simply eliminated like everyone else? How is it that a cynical, betraying, lying, scumbag like me got to wake up and she- loyal, fiery, brave Glathon- could just be blown out like a candle? It doesn't make sense and I hate the world for it. I hate how the world snatched her away without reason, and I hate Lief for being so dumb to kill her when he should've killed me and I should've killed him for Adin's sake but I had to be so weak and-

"When we get back, don't stay."

I spun around, my eyes fierce and glassy but not crying yet. I had cried too much the night before to let any more tears leave my human eyes. Lief rubbed his neck, looking at the grave and laying down some violets. His eyebrows were drawn together and mouth pulled down into a frown as he straightened up to look at the soil again. I watched him watch what was supposed to be Glathon and wanted to rip his head off.

"Did you hear me?" Lief asked, his voice raspy and low. His eyes pierced mine, they were full of pain.

"You said to leave after we get back to Del." I repeated to him, eyes cold and nostrils flaring. Lief still held my gaze boldly as I added, "I know that. But Lief, I'm not going to-"

"Leave without Jasmine." he finished for me, and his gaze turned back to the grave. "I can't believe I...I can't believe..._Glathon_?" Lief muttered, more to himself than anyone, shaking his head and covering his face with his hands. Guilt. It seeped from every pore him and tried to creep over to me, but I smacked his arm sharply. I hope it hurt. Lief looked at me with red eyes, "I'm no king. I suck Dain, I killed my best guard on a revenge mission and beat up my girlfriend and all for you...I should just be over you by now..."

I raised my eyebrows. For some reason I think (hope) that sentence had come out the wrong way, so I cleared my throat and said, "Um. Yeah, I guess you should be over the whole betraying Deltora and stuff since I'm cool now but I mean..."

"Dain, I mean I shouldn't be obsessed with you anymore."

"Okay. Um. Yeah I guess that's a good idea."

"Do you know what I'm trying to say?"

"I hope not, honestly." I admitted. Lief motioned for me to sit beside him, so I landed by him on the riverbank. He looked into my face for a long while before saying in a voice more nervous than I'd ever heard it, "I...loved you.**"**

I think my mouth fell open, but I couldn't tell because I was so confused. I mean, yeah I had joked about that to make him come after me in the tunnel but I was NOT expecting any of that to be true. Before I could say anything, he held up a hand, "Let me explain. This is...bizarre, and I don't know how I'm even saying any of this out loud right now, but from the moment we first met I've felt something, like a stirring in me that makes my stomach clench and I'd dream about our fight all the time and wake up crying every time you died. And I was so confused Dain, you had no idea. During the quest I thought you were coming on to me, and I guess that was just part of your game because you were supposed to draw us all in, but it WORKED, and then you betrayed us and I thought there was something majorly wrong with me because I had felt something, even just a tiny something, for an ol. And all those times you taunted me before I killed you, when you'd pretend to be good again and then you'd laugh at me, I wanted you back so badly. Then you...you came back. And then you saved my life in the castle dungeon so long ago and I let myself think everything was okay, but I was starting to...feel for you again and you were going after Jasmine, and at this point I thought what I felt was so abnormal that I needed Jasmine. I will not deny I feel romantically for Jasmine, but I was supposed to love her wasn't I? and you show up and I'd do everything I could to keep loving her and not you and then I decided you couldn't be real anyway. I wanted to get rid of you so that I'd forget this disgusting...crush and so I wouldn't be hurt again when you stab us in the back or turn out to be another ol that looks like your old form. The only way i could commit to Jasmine and love normally again and focus on anything would be to get rid of you- permanently. I sent you out to kill you because I didn't trust you not turn on us again, and I didn't trust myself around you, Dain I still...I still don't. I can't even believe the good you exists, but you're here, and I'm the one who's responsible for this grave and I feel like the most wretched person in all of Deltora."

"I'm not 'good Dain.'" I said, not looking at him. Holy crap so my best friend dies I get the girl but now the bad guy loves me? Maybe I am dead, in some weird place half heaven and half hell for all this weirdness.

"Well, you're not 'bad Dain.'" Lief muttered, ripping at grass. I stood up rubbing my forehead. I faced him, "You don't understand, Lief. There isn't good Dain, and bad Dain. There was just nonexistent Dain who wasn't real and was only really a sadistic robot and the good side of him didn't exist, and the loser who woke up and had to go through crap and got the girl and still wants to kill you with a burning passion but is too weak to."

"You're too strong to."

"What?"

Lief stood, "You're too strong to kill me. If you killed me, you'd be just the sadistic robot again. So maybe you didn't exist before. But you were born a few months ago and grew up into a good person who is better than the guy the ol pretended to be." He smiled a little, and I gnawed on my bottom lip. My mind's so blank and shocked I don't know what else to do. I hugged Lief. It was awkward but I felt like that was what he wanted, and hearing that I was a good person was weird and nice and confusing, so I hugged him and whispered, "Thank you for telling me the truth."

He let go first and I couldn't help but sigh in relief. I really can't get tangled in this odd love triangle any more than I have already been. "It's good to get that off my chest." he grinned, and I wanted to punch him again because of Glathon but just nodded. He added, "You are welcome back to Del whenever you like or need, but I feel like Jasmine just wasn't happy there, and obviously she's happier with you than me right now so...truce? You two run off home to the Forests of Silence and be the restless people you are, but...Jasmine will forgive me right? And you will too? For everything I've done?"

"Eventually. I know I should, and I know I will because it's the right thing and I tend to do the right thing nowadays for some bloody reason, but I can't forgive you standing by Glathon's grave, and I know Jasmine will forgive you too one day..." I said in a low voice. I tore my eyes from the grave and rested them on Jasmine, who was crouching by the River Queen feeding Filli and Kree some seed. Her hair was the colour of a dark forest, long and wild and she brushed some out of her eyes to beam at me.

So we all climbed back onto the River Queen. Lief drove the boat while Jasmine and I stared off at the water and countryside flashing by. We kissed and joked and did it all when Lief wouldn't have to look, and when we got back home, the castle cheered for Adin's journal and us and looked confused at who was holding Jasmine's hand. Lief announced my and Jasmine's departure to the Forests, and Jasmine wouldn't talk to Lief but I promised him we'd visit often, and with that out of the way, we ran into the Forests with no one to stop us and heard the trees sing happily for our return, and Jasmine showed me her old nest, we laid down in the twigs and flowers and despite everything we laughed and staring into her eyes I realized that from now on things would be okay. I could really start living now.

Finally, Human-Dain can have a happy beginning to what I know will be a happy ending.


	21. ALTERNATE ENDING!

*PLOT TWIST/ALTERNATE ENDING! so i got this awesome terrible idea for an alternate ending to all this, and I want the other one to be the ending i think, but if you want to know what i was considering to do instead, here ya go. This picks up during the chapter when Lief is about to go into the tunnel. I'll copy and paste some of what previously happened in italics...*

*dain pov*

_"You're dying Lief, but I'm giving you a choice. I will pick you up and leave you outside this goddamn tunnel and you'll live if you promise to leave me and Jasmine alone forever, and if you don't make this swear to me right now, I will leave you here forever you to rot in here with your blood stained hands and guilt. Your choice. You are so much better than this and if you give up on hating me and don't start hating her you will be so much happier and this filter wouldn't be hurting you so much, would it? Let us go and I'll save you. I don't like you, but you're actually an okay king and just need to get over this, alright? Move on and tell Jasmine you're sorry or you'll never be able to live with yourself even if I let you out of here." I stared down at him, daring him to speak. Lief's eyes were crying, lips trembling and all he said was, "I...hate me. i hate me so much. Just leave me here."_

_"you know, I think that's the easy way out." i said, gripping his collar and clenching my teeth together. lief stared into my eyes and I knew he was telling the truth when he said, "I promise. I'll leave you...I'll leave you two alone. I can't believe the crap I've done-"_

_I slung him over my shoulder and ran out of the tunnel before he could finish apologizing. As soon as we left it, Lief took a deep gulp of air. it was like he had been drowning underwater and unable to come up for air. He panted on the grass, crying and then passing out. I had let him live. After he killed Glathon. After he beat Jasmine. After he came ready for my blood too. And even when he was there and vulnerable and I wouldn't even have to touch him to kill him, my stupid human heart grew weak and made me be the good guy. But i had more important things to do then gaze at the pitiful sight of unconscious Lief._

_I took off into the tunnel, and Jasmine was limping over to me too, her arms reaching out. I reached her and picked her up, hugging her tiny body close to mine and swinging her around while she cried. So much crying going on and I hate it, but when i set her down she was smiling. She started kissing me all over my face in bloody little pecks, "You. Genius. You're. Alive. I'm . Alive. We. Survived." she said in between kissing me and I raised my eyebrows, "So I'm guessing you want to go back to Del?"_

As I opened my mouth to speak, my vision swam. Was it raining all of a sudden? I looked at my hand, the image trembled and flashed before my eyes. What was going on? I stared at Jasmine and focused on her face, which now looked panicked. "Dain, what's wrong?" One minute she was there, and suddenly she looked like Lief. I gasped and fell back. She leaned over me, then she looked like Lief again, he had the belt flying towards me, then it was Jasmine trying to wrap her arms around me. "Jasmine, don't leave me, no, don't leave me Jasmine!" I begged, but with every word I realized that she was disappearing more quickly. I could feel rain on my neck, but forced myself not to see it. Is this what I've been doing the whole time? Forcing myself to see a beautiful lie? I focused on her, focused, focused on how her face would look, how she bent down to kiss me in fear even though at this point, she wouldn't have kissed me, she would've asked what was going on. But this is my world. And this is the end and I need to feel her kiss please just for a moment-

I snapped back to reality and felt the belt wind around me. It was a mix of the pain of a python squeezing you til your bones break, a hot metal bar being twisted securely around you, and the ache of being punched all around you. All this came over me Lief wrapped the belt around me. My knees melted into goo, and I slid to the rain slick castle ground. Watching my reflection in a puddle revealed how quickly I was melting away now into nothing. I would become nothing so soon. My hair dripped into my eyes, and then my eyes dripped down my chest and I tried to find that place again. That place i had built up and created the second I knew I would lose. That place where I could wake up from this, where my master could bring me back and I could choose to not serve him and feel Jasmine's kiss and befriend a gnome and become a human. That pitiful place that I should die for even considering. Me, human? There's nothing more disgusting.

Lief's hands reached into what used to be my spleen and pulled out the belt. He looked at me sobbing and relieved and conflicted. If only he knew that I wouldn't have killed him in that place I made. If only he knew that right now I'm blazing and dying with my master still overflowing my ol mind but if I could come back I would never think of my master again. That Jasmine could love me. That I could exist and he could exist and we all could be happy. But I can feel my heart melting now, the hand print and eye fading into white and then to red. This is what's real. This is the end. And there is no second chances for 'Dain' to become real.

so pretty much, it was all just a flash through his mind while he died because he was considering what would happen if he could change things. its the more depressing ending and harder to write and i wanted his journey to be real. both endings could make sense i think...and both could be completely ridiculous. comment with what ending you like better, im really curious : )

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING333 I MIGHT DO SOME DAIN/LIEF FICS MAYBE. FIRM MAYBE ; )


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